Reduced antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity to herpes simplex virus-infected cells of salivary polymorphonuclear leukocytes and inhibition of peripheral blood polymorphonuclear leukocyte cytotoxicity by saliva

Blood polymorphonuclear leukocytes (BPMN) have been shown to mediate antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) against HSV-infected cells. Although HSV infections are frequently found in the oral cavity, the ADCC capacity of salivary PMN (SPMN) has not been studied, mainly because methods to isolate SPMN were not available. We have recently developed a method to isolate SPMN, and in this study have evaluated their ADCC activity against HSV-infected cells. SPMN were obtained by repeated washings of the oral cavity, and separated from epithelial cells by nylon mesh filtration. ADCC was quantitatively determined by 51Cr release from HSV-infected Chang liver cells. SPMN in the presence of antibody were able to destroy HSV-infected cells, but SPMN were much less effective in mediating ADCC than BPMN (3.4% vs 40.7%, p less than 0.0001). In the presence of antiviral antibody, SPMN were able to adhere to HSV-infected cells, but less so than BPMN (34% vs 67%), and specific antibody-induced adherence was significantly lower in SPMN (p less than 0.04). The spontaneous adherence to HSV-infected cells was higher for SPMN than BPMN. SPMN demonstrated up-regulation of the adhesion glycoprotein CD18, but down-regulation of the FcRIII receptor. Incubation with saliva decreased ADCC capacity of BPMN, up-regulated CD18 expression, and down-regulated FcRIII expression.     

Conjugation of soluble CD4 without loss of biological activity via a novel carbohydrate-directed cross-linking reagent.

Chemical conjugates of recombinant soluble CD4 (sCD4) with toxins, or with antibodies that activate cytotoxic T cells, can be used to direct selective killing of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected cells. This approach takes advantage of the ability of sCD4 to bind with high affinity to gp120, the envelope protein of HIV-1, which is expressed on actively infected cells. However, conjugation of sCD4 via reagents that target amino groups may reduce its affinity for gp120, since at least one such group is important for gp120 binding. Here, we describe a novel cross-linking reagent which enables the conjugation of sCD4 via its carbohydrate moieties rather than its free amino groups. This heterobifunctional reagent, 4-(4-N-maleimidophenyl)butyric acid hydrazide (MPBH), combines a nucleophilic hydrazide with an electrophilic maleimide, thereby allowing coupling of carbohydrate-derived aldehydes to free thiols. We describe conditions by which MPBH is coupled selectively to the sialic acid residues of sCD4, and exemplify the use of MPBH by conjugating sCD4 to hemoglobin and to beta-galactosidase. We show that, whereas conjugation of sCD4 via amino groups markedly reduces its gp120 binding affinity, conjugation via the carbohydrate chains using MPBH does not affect binding. Moreover, we demonstrate the ability of a sCD4-MPBH-fluorescein conjugate to label HIV-infected human CEM cells selectively. These results indicate that, by targeting its carbohydrate moieties, sCD4 can be cross-linked to other molecules without compromising its function. The approach described here can be useful for glycoproteins in which amino groups, but not carbohydrates, are important for function. More generally, this approach can be considered for use in cross-linking glycoconjugates to compounds which either contain thiols, or to which thiols can be added.     

The Third Intracellular Loop of the 5-Hydroxytryptamine2A Receptor Determines Effector Coupling Specificity

Abstract: 5-Hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) receptors contain seven putative transmembrane domains and couple via different guanine nucleotide binding proteins to specific effector enzymes. Studies with other receptors identify the second and third intracellular loops or the C-terminus of the receptor as important for selective effector coupling. However, it is not known which regions of the 5-HT receptor determine effector coupling specificity. To address this question, we constructed a chimeric 5-HT receptor in which the third intracellular (i3) loop is derived from the 5-HT_2A receptor, which is coupled to activation of phospholipase C, and the rest of the sequence is derived from the 5-HT_1B receptor, which is coupled to inhibition of adenylyl cyclase. The chimeric receptor exhibited ligand binding properties similar to those of the 5-HT_1B receptor and distinct from those of the 5-HT_2A receptor. This suggests that the i3 loop is not critical for the unique pharmacology of the 5-HT_1B receptor. In contrast, the chimeric receptor exhibited signaling properties similar to those of the 5-HT_2A receptor and distinct from those of the 5-HT_1B receptor. This indicates that the i3 loop determines the effector coupling specificity of the 5-HT_2A receptor.     

Ligand-induced assembly and activation of the gamma interferon receptor in intact cells.

Functionally active gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) receptors consist of an alpha subunit required for ligand binding and signal transduction and a beta subunit required primarily for signaling. Although the receptor alpha chain has been well characterized, little is known about the specific role of the receptor beta chain in IFN-gamma signaling. Expression of the wild-type human IFN-gamma receptor beta chain in murine L cells that stably express the human IFN-gamma receptor alpha chain (L.hgR) produced a murine cell line (L.hgR.myc beta) that responded to human IFN-gamma. Mutagenesis of the receptor beta-chain intracellular domain revealed that only two closely spaced, membrane-proximal sequences (P263PSIP267 and I270EEYL274) are required for function. Coprecipitation studies showed that these sequences are necessary for the specific and constitutive association of the receptor beta chain with the JAK-2 tyrosine kinase. These experiments also revealed that the IFN-gamma receptor alpha and beta chains are not preassociated on the surface of unstimulated cells but rather are induced to associate in an IFN-gamma-dependent fashion. A chimeric protein in which the intracellular domain of the beta chain was replaced by JAK-2 complemented human IFN-gamma signaling and biologic responsiveness in L.hgR. In contrast, a c-src-containing beta-chain chimera did not. These results indicate that the sole obligate role of the IFN-gamma receptor beta chain in signaling is to recruit JAK-2 into the ligand-assembled receptor complex.     

Functional characterization of the Bcl-2 gene family in the zebrafish

Members of the Bcl-2 protein family control the intrinsic apoptosis pathway. To evaluate the importance of this family in vertebrate development, we investigated it in the zebrafish (Danio rerio). We found that the zebrafish genome encodes structural and functional homologs of most mammalian Bcl-2 family members, including multi-Bcl-2-homology (BH) domain proteins and BH3-only proteins. Apoptosis induction by gamma-irradiation required zBax1 and zPuma, and could be prevented by overexpression of homologs of prosurvival Bcl-2 family members. Surprisingly, zebrafish Bax2 (zBax2) was homologous to mammalian Bax by sequence and synteny, yet demonstrated functional conservation with human Bak. Morpholino knockdown of both zMcl-1a and zMcl-1b revealed their critical role in early embryonic zebrafish development, and in the modulation of apoptosis activation through the extrinsic pathway. These data indicate substantial functional similarity between zebrafish and mammalian Bcl-2 family members, and establish the zebrafish as a relevant model for studying the intrinsic apoptosis pathway.     

Alterations of Circadian Rhythms in Mice Induced by Anti-Cancer Drugs

Carboplatinum was injected into four groups of mice for 5 successive days at one out of four daily equidistant hours. Upon the cessation of these injections, granulocyte colony stimulating factor was injected into half of these mice for 2 days at the same times. The stimulating factor was also injected into groups of untreated mice for 2 days at the same times. In each experiment the rhythms of four variables were monitored after the cessation of all injections: peripheral WBC count, bone marrow and sperm stem cells DNA synthesis, and sperm ribosomal RNA content. The results indicated that in the course of repeated drug administrations, variables' rhythm parameters (phases and periods) were altered. These changes have to be considered in chronotherapeutic schedules when variables which serve for toxicity diagnosis or as drug target are rhythmic in nature.