IL-1 serves as a secondary signal for IL-9 expression.

IL-9 is produced in vitro by activated CD4+ T cell lines of the Th2 subtype and by naive CD4+ T cells. Here we show that T cell lines stimulated with Con A in the presence of accessory cells (AC) such as irradiated spleen cells or bone marrow-derived macrophages produced substantially more IL-9 than T cells stimulated with Con A alone. These data suggest that AC influence the production of IL-9 through accessory signals that result in an at least 10-fold increase of IL-9 secretion by the respective T cells. Addition of IL-1 to T cells activated by Con A, PHA, or anti-CD3 antibodies revealed that this monokine was responsible for the potentiation of IL-9 production. This finding was confirmed by applying anti-IL-1 antibodies. The production of other lymphokines, namely, IL-3, IL-4, and IL-6, by activated T cells was not or only marginally enhanced in the presence of AC or IL-1, thus indicating that the synthesis of IL-9 is regulated differently from that of other Th2-derived lymphokines. Furthermore, it was demonstrated by Northern blot analysis that IL-1 increases IL-9 expression at the pretranslational level. Because IL-1 alone failed to induce the production of IL-9 by T cells, this monokine acts as a costimulator in combination with a T cell receptor-mediated signal.     

Paratope- and framework-related cross-reactive idiotopes on anti-acetylcholine receptor antibodies

Cross-reactive idiotopes are a possible target for therapeutical interventions in autoimmune diseases. To investigate their role in the pathogenesis of experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis (EAMG) we analyzed the Id of rat anti-AChR mAb 6, 35, 61, 65 and a control myeloma protein IR27. Anti-Id 6, 35, 61, 65 bound in a direct binding assay with various affinity to all rat anti-AChR mAb that were tested. Anti-Id IR27 recognized none of the anti-AChR mAb. The specificity of these crossreactions was confirmed by inhibition studies with anti-AChR mAb and two control rat myeloma proteins (IR27 and IR241). In addition, the Id expression on mAb D6, a mouse anti-human AChR mAb was recognized by anti-Id 6, 35, and 65. Anti-Id, except anti-Id IR27, bound to affinity purified IgG from the sera of rats with EAMG, but not to preimmune Lewis IgG. These results suggest extensive sharing of idiotopes among anti-AChR mAb, which are also present in EAMG serum. Anti-AChR mAb against the main immunogenic region (6, 35, 65) from different rat strains, shared at least one paratope-related cross-reactive idiotopes. In the view of the fact that anti-main immunogenic region antibodies might form a predominant fraction of the polyclonal response against AChR, it is conceivable that an anti-Id recognizing these antibodies could have therapeutical applications as for example a selective immune absorbent or in immunotoxin therapy.     

Relative contributions of biological and chemical reactions to the overall rate of pyrite oxidation at temperatures between 30 degrees C and 70 degrees C

The stoichiometry and kinetics of the spontaneous, chemical reaction between pyrite and ferric iron was studied at 30, 45, and 70 degrees C in shake flasks at pH 1.5 by monitoring the ferrous iron, total iron, elemental sulfur, and sulfate concentration profiles in time. It was found that the sulfur moiety of pyrite was oxidized completely to sulfate. Elemental sulfur was not produced in detectable amounts. The iron moiety of pyrite was released as ferrous iron. All observed initial reaction rates could be fitted into an empirical equation. This equation includes the concentrations of ferric iron and pyrite, and a constant which is dependent on the temperature and the nature of the main anion present. It was observed that ferrous iron formed during the reaction slowed down the oxidation of pyrite by ferric iron. The extent of this effect decreased with increasing temperature. With the aid of the empirical equation, the contribution of the chemical oxidation of pyrite by ferric iron to the overall oxidation in a hypothetical plug-flow reactor, in which biologically mediated oxdidation of pyrite and ferrous iron by oxygen also takes place, can be assessed. At 30, 45, and 70 degrees C, respectively, 2, 8-17, and 43% of the pyrite was oxidized chemically by ferric iron. Therefore, it is expected that only in reactors operating at high temperatures with extremely thermophilic bacteria, will chemical oxidation cause a significant deviation from the apparent first order overall kinetics of biological pyrite oxidation.     

Streptococcal cell wall-induced arthritis and adjuvant arthritis in F344----Lewis and in Lewis----F344 bone marrow chimeras

Streptococcal cell wall (SCW)-induced arthritis and adjuvant arthritis (AA) are rat models for chronic, erosive polyarthritis. Both models can be induced in susceptible Lewis rats, whereas F344 rats are resistant. In AA as well as in SCW arthritis, antigen-specific T lymphocytes have been demonstrated to be crucial for chronic disease. In this communication we describe our studies to probe the cellular mechanism responsible for the difference in susceptibility of Lewis and F344, using bone marrow chimeras. By transplanting bone marrow cells from F344 into lethally irradiated Lewis recipients, Lewis rats were rendered resistant to SCW arthritis induction. F344 rats reconstituted with Lewis bone marrow, i.e., Lewis----F344 chimeras, develop an arthritis upon SCW injection. For AA comparable results were obtained. These data suggest that both resistance and susceptibility to bacterium-induced chronic arthritis are mediated by hemopoietic/immune cells and that the recipiental environment does not influence the susceptibility to chronic joint inflammation.     

Non-random conformation of a mouse IgG2a monoclonal antibody at low pH

The pH dependence of the conformation of a mouse IgG2a, kappa monoclonal antibody (MN12) was investigated by several physical techniques, including fluorescence spectroscopy, near-ultraviolet and far-ultraviolet CD, and electric-field-induced transient birefringence measurements. The intensity of the intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence remained constant in the pH range from 3.5 to 10.0. A conformational alteration in the MN12 molecule was observed in the pH region between pH 3.5 and 2.5, as reflected by a substantial enhancement of the fluorescence quantum yield. This effect was more pronounced at high ionic strengths. The fluorescence emission was unaltered, indicating that the acid-induced conformational state is different from a completely unfolded state. This was confirmed by CD and fluorescence polarisation measurements. Iodide and acrylamide fluorescence quenching studies indicated a gradually increasing accessibility of MN12 tryptophan residues with decreasing pH. At low pH precipitation was observed in the presence of iodide. One rotational relaxation time (0.16-0.18 microseconds) was observed for MN12 by electric-field-induced transient birefringence measurements at low ionic strength. After exposure of MN12 to low pH for 1 h, the relaxation time was increased to 0.23 microseconds; a further increase to 0.30 microseconds was observed after 24 h. The combined results suggest an acid-induced expansion and enhanced flexibility of MN12, which eventually leads to irreversible aggregation.     

Natural human monocyte gelatinase and its inhibitor.

Gelatinases produced by stimulated peripheral blood monocytes were detected by substrate zymography and were compared with those derived from tumor cells. Stimulated monocytes were found to produce an 85 kDa gelatinase which co-migrated upon electrophoretic separation and cross-reacted in immunoprecipitation experiments with a phorbol ester inducible metalloprotease from human tumor cells. The intact natural gelatinase (85 kDa), a high molecular weight and complexed gelatinase as well as a proteolytic fragment (25 kDa) were purified by substrate- and antibody-affinity chromatography techniques. Aminoterminal sequence analysis showed that natural monocyte gelatinase occurs as a truncated form of tumor cell gelatinase/type IV collagenase. Furthermore, peripheral blood monocytes were found to also produce a tissue inhibitor of metalloproteases (TIMP). TIMP was co-purified with gelatinase on gelatin sepharose and identified by microsequencing. The balanced and regulated production of gelatinase and TIMP might be important in monocyte migration and tissue remodeling.     

Lipoamide dehydrogenase from Azotobacter vinelandii: site-directed mutagenesis of the His450-Glu455 diad. Spectral properties of wild type and mutated enzymes.

Three amino acid residues in the active site of lipoamide dehydrogenase from Azotobacter vinelandii were replaced by other residues. His450, the active-site base, was changed into Ser, Tyr and Phe. Pro451, in cis conformation, was changed into Ala. Glu455 was replaced with Asp and Gln. Absorption, fluorescence and CD spectroscopy of the mutated enzymes in their oxidized state (Eox) showed only minor changes with respect to the wild-type enzyme, whereas considerable changes were observed in the spectra of the two-electron-reduced (EH2) species of the enzymes upon reduction by the substrate dihydrolipoamide. Differences in extent of reduction of the flavin by NADH indicate that the redox potential of the flavin is altered by the mutations. Enzyme Pro451----Ala [corrected] showed the greatest deviation from wild type. The enzyme is very easily over-reduced to the four-electron reduced state (EH4) by dihydrolipoamide. This is probably due to a change in the backbone conformation caused by the cis-trans conversion. From studies on the pH dependence of the thiolate charge-transfer absorption and the relative fluorescence of EH2 of the enzymes, it is concluded that mutation of His450 results in a relatively simple and easily interpreted distribution of electronic species at the EH2 level. For all three His450-mutated enzymes an apparent pKa1 near 5.5 is calculated that is assigned to the interchange thiol. A second apparent pKa2 is calculated of 6.9, 7.5 and 7.1 for the His450----Phe, -Ser and -Tyr enzymes, respectively, and signifies the deprotonation of the tautomeric equilibrium between the interchange and charge-transfer thiols. The difference in apparent pKa2 values between the His450-mutated enzymes is explained by changes in micropolarity. At the EH2 level the wild-type enzyme consists of multiple electronic forms as reported for the Escherichia coli enzyme [Wilkinson, K. D. and Williams C. H. Jr (1979) J. Biol. Chem. 254, 852-862]. Based on the results obtained with the His450-mutated enzymes, it is concluded that the lowest pKa is associated with the interchange thiol. A model for the equilibrium species of the wild-type enzyme at the EH2 level is presented which takes three pKa values into account. The results of the pH dependence of the electronic species at the EH2 level of Glu455-mutated enzymes essentially follow the model proposed for the wild-type enzyme. However mutation of Glu455 shifts the tautomeric equilibrium of EH2 in favor of the charge-transfer species.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Binding of corticosteroid receptors to rat hippocampus nuclear matrix.

In rat hippocampus, the mineralocorticoid receptor and the glucocorticoid receptor bind corticosterone with high affinity. We have studied the association of these receptors with the nuclear matrix both after in vivo and in vitro administration of radiolabelled corticosterone to hippocampus cells. It was found that in vivo 100% and in vitro 60% of the corticosterone that specifically bound to rat hippocampus nuclei was attached to the nuclear matrix. A selective glucocorticoid receptor agonist did not compete for corticosterone binding. This indicates that this binding was mediated by the mineralocorticoid receptor rather than the glucocorticoid receptor.