Proteome analysis of human macrophages reveals the upregulation of manganese-containing superoxide dismutase after toll-like receptor activation

Macrophages are essential for the development of innate immune responses against a variety of infectious factors. They detect invading pathogens via their pattern recognition receptors such as toll-like receptors (TLRs). TLR7/8 recognizes ssRNA from various viruses. In the present study, we have used 2-DE gel-based proteomics to find novel TLR7/8 target proteins in human monocyte-derived macrophages in order to improve our understanding of the virus recognition by this TLR. A total of 27 protein spots were found to be reproducibly differentially expressed between control and TLR7/8 activated 2-DE gel pairs, 18 spots being more than two-fold upregulated and nine spots being at least two-fold downregulated. Several proteins involved in defense against toxic superoxide (O2-) and other reactive oxygen species, such as manganese-containing superoxide dismutase (SOD2), glutathione peroxidase, and peroxiredoxins 1 and 6 were highly upregulated after TLR7/8 activation. Western blot analysis showed that activation of macrophages with TLR2, TLR3, TLR4, and TLR7/8 ligands also strongly upregulated SOD2 protein expression. In conclusion, our results show that the activation of pattern recognition receptors of the innate immune system results in strong upregulation of SOD2 gene expression suggesting that SOD2 protects macrophages from oxidative stress during microbial infection.     

血清Irisin、TMAO、MIF与慢性心力衰竭合并心房颤动患者预后的关系及其预测价值研究

摘要 目的：探讨血清鸢尾素（Irisin）、氧化三甲胺（TMAO）、巨噬细胞迁移抑制因子（MIF）与慢性心力衰竭（CHF）合并心房颤动（AF）患者预后的关系及其预测价值。方法：选取2020年1月～2023年1月甘肃省人民医院收治的CHF合并AF患者175例纳入合并AF组,根据预后情况分为预后不良组和预后良好组。另选取同期收治未合并AF的CHF患者100例纳入未合并AF组。通过酶联免疫吸附法检测血清Irisin、TMAO、MIF水平。采用多因素Logistic回归分析CHF合并AF患者预后的影响因素,受试者工作特征（ROC）曲线分析血清Irisin、TMAO、MIF对CHF合并AF患者预后不良的预测价值。结果：与未合并AF组比较,合并AF组血清Irisin水平降低,血清TMAO、MIF水平升高（P＜0.05）。与预后良好组比较,预后不良组血清Irisin水平降低,血清TMAO、MIF水平升高（P＜0.05）。随访6个月,175例CHF合并AF患者预后不良发生率为26.29%。多因素Logistic回归分析显示,纽约心脏病协会（NYHA）心功能分级Ⅲ～Ⅳ级和N末端前体B型钠尿肽（NT-proBNP）、TMAO、MIF升高为CHF合并AF患者预后不良的独立危险因素,Irisin升高为独立保护因素（P＜0.05）。ROC曲线分析显示,血清Irisin、TMAO、MIF联合预测CHF合并AF患者预后不良的曲线下面积（AUC）为0.919,大于血清Irisin、TMAO、MIF单独预测的0.787、0.780、0.777。结论：CHF合并AF患者血清Irisin水平降低,TMAO、MIF水平升高,且与预后不良密切相关。血清Irisin、TMAO、MIF水平联合检测对CHF合并AF患者预后不良具有较高的预测价值。     

Control of Redox Balance by the Stringent Response Regulatory Protein Promotes Antioxidant Defenses of Salmonella

We report herein a critical role for the stringent response regulatory DnaK suppressor protein (DksA) in the coordination of antioxidant defenses. DksA helps fine-tune the expression of glutathione biosynthetic genes and discrete steps in the pentose phosphate pathway and tricarboxylic acid cycle that are associated with the generation of reducing power. Control of NAD(P)H/NAD(P)⁺ redox balance by DksA fuels downstream antioxidant enzymatic systems in nutritionally starving Salmonella. Conditional expression of the glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase-encoding gene zwf, shown here to be under DksA control, increases both the NADPH pool and antioxidant defenses of dksA mutant Salmonella. The DksA-mediated coordination of redox balance boosts the antioxidant defenses of stationary phase bacteria. Not only does DksA increase resistance of Salmonella against hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), but it also promotes fitness of this intracellular pathogen when exposed to oxyradicals produced by the NADPH phagocyte oxidase in an acute model of infection. Given the role of DksA in the adjustment of gene expression in most bacteria undergoing nutritional deprivation, our findings raise the possibility that the control of central metabolic pathways by this regulatory protein maintains redox homeostasis essential for antioxidant defenses in phylogenetically diverse bacterial species.     

Human recombinant IL-10 reduces xenogenic cytotoxicity via macrophage M2 polarization

Xenotransplantation has been considered an alternative to the moderate shortage of donor organs for transplantation. To achieve successful xenotransplatation, there is the need to overcome immune rejection. Although, hyperacute rejection has been overcome by α1,3-galactosyltransferase knockout pig, cellular immune rejection remains as a subsequent barrier. Interleukin-10 (IL-10) is known as an anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory cytokine which has been shown to limit inflammatory responses by inhibiting macrophage activation in several animal experiments. To study the effect of human IL-10 (hIL-10) on pig-to-human xenotransplantation, porcine kidney epithelial cell line (PK(15)) expressing hIL-10 was established. The cytotoxicity of macrophages decreased by hIL-10 from transgenic cells. Furthermore, there is a decreased production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-23, and increased anti-inflammatory cytokines like IL-10, but not transforming growth factor beta, in the presence of hIL-10. Also, macrophage polarization toward M2-like phenotype were induced by hIL-10 from transgenic PK(15) cells. Finally, we suggest that the cytotoxicity of human macrophages was reduced by hIL-10 from transgenic cells, inducing M2-like macrophage polarization. Therefore, these results show that hIL-10 transgenic pig can be used as a model to overcome acute immune rejection in pig-to-human xenotransplantation.     

肌萎缩侧索硬化患者血清SOD、GSH-Px、MIP-1α、VEGF水平与肌电图特征及病程的关系研究

摘要 目的：研究肌萎缩侧索硬化（ALS）患者血清超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）、谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶（GSH-Px）、巨噬细胞炎性蛋白-1α（MIP-1α）、血管内皮生长因子（VEGF）水平与肌电图特征及病程的关系。方法：将从2018年12月起直至2020年12月,我院收治的ALS患者86例纳入研究,记作病变组。另取同期90例于我院进行体检的健康人员作为对照组。检测并比较两组血清SOD、GSH-Px、MIP-1α、VEGF水平及肌电图特征。将所有病变组患者根据病程的差异分为病程较长组42例以及病程较短组44例,比较两组血清SOD、GSH-Px、MIP-1α、VEGF水平以及肌萎缩侧索硬化症功能评分量表（ALSFRS-r）评分。采用Pearson相关性分析ALS患者血清SOD、GSH-Px、MIP-1α、VEGF水平与肌电图特征及病程的关系。结果：病变组血清SOD、GSH-Px水平均低于对照组,而MIP-1α、VEGF水平均高于对照组（均P＜0.05）。病变组各项肌电图参数水平均低于对照组（均P＜0.05）。病程较长组血清SOD、GSH-Px水平以及ALSFRS-r评分均低于病程较短组,而MIP-1α、VEGF水平均高于病程较短组（均P＜0.05）。经Pearson相关性分析可得：ALS患者血清SOD、GSH-Px水平与肌电图各神经符合肌肉动作电位（CMAP）、ALSFRS-r评分均呈正相关,与病程呈负相关（均P＜0.05）;MIP-1α、VEGF水平则与肌电图各神经CMAP、ALSFRS-r评分均呈负相关,与病程呈正相关（均P＜0.05）。结论：ALS患者血清SOD、GSH-Px水平较低,MIP-1α、VEGF水平较高,且和肌电图特征以及病程密切相关,值得临床关注。     

血清DCN、NRG-1、MIF水平与首发未服药精神分裂症患者临床症状和认知功能的相关性分析

目的:探讨血清核心蛋白多糖(DCN)、神经调节蛋白-1(NRG-1)、巨噬细胞迁移抑制因子(MIF)水平与首发未服药精神分裂症患者临床症状和认知功能的相关性。方法:选择2018年1月~2020年11月期间长江大学附属第一医院收治的首发未服药精神分裂症患者80例作为精神分裂症组,同期于长江大学附属第一医院进行体检的健康志愿者80例作为对照组。应用阳性和阴性症状量表(PANSS)评估患者精神病理症状,应用MATRICS共识认知成套测验(MCCB)评估所有受试者认知功能。根据PANSS评分将精神分裂症组分为PANSS评分高分组和低分组,比较两组血清DCN、NRG-1、MIF水平,并分析以上指标水平与PANSS总分、MCCB各项评分的相关性。结果:精神分裂症组患者PANSS总分为(77.18±13.57)分。精神分裂症组MCCB各项评分均低于对照组(P<0.05)。精神分裂症组血清DCN、NRG-1水平低于对照组,MIF水平高于对照组(P<0.05)。PANSS高分组血清DCN、NRG-1水平低于PANSS低分组,MIF水平高于PANSS低分组(P<0.05)。Pearson相关性分析显示,首发未服药精神分裂症患者血清DCN、NRG-1水平与PANSS总分呈负相关,与MCCB各项评分呈正相关,MIF水平与PANSS总分呈正相关,与MCCB各项评分呈负相关(均P<0.05)。结论:首发未服药精神分裂症患者血清DCN、NRG-1、MIF水平异常,且以上指标水平与患者临床症状和认知功能受损有一定联系,提示检测以上指标水平可能为该病患者认知功能及临床症状的评估提供参考。     

N-acetylcysteine Protects Mice from Lethal Endotoxemia by Regulating the Redox State of Immune Cells

The excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) associated with inflammation leads to oxidative stress, which is involved with the high mortality from several diseases such as endotoxic shock and can be controlled to a certain degree by antioxidants. The immune cells use ROS in order to support their functions and, therefore, need adequate levels of antioxidant defenses in order to avoid the harmful effect of an excessive ROS production. In the present work, the effect of the administration of the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on the redox state of peritoneal macrophages and lymphocytes from mice with lethal endotoxic shock (100 mg/kg i.p. of lipopolysaccharide, LPS), was studied. In both types of immune cells at 0, 2, 4, 12 and 24 h after LPS injection, an increase of ROS, of the proinflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), the lipid peroxidation (malonaldehyde levels, MDA), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression and the oxidized/reduced glutathione (GSSG/GSH) ratio, as well as a decrease of enzymatic antioxidant defenses, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activity, was observed. The injection of NAC (150 mg/kg i.p. at 30 min after LPS injection) decreased the ROS, the TNFα the MDA levels, iNOS expression and the GSSG/GSH ratio, and increased the antioxidant defenses in both macrophages and lymphocytes. Moreover, the NAC treatment prevented the activation of nuclear translocation of the nuclear factor κB (NF-κB), which regulates ROS, inflammatory cytokines and antioxidant levels. Our present results provide evidence that both cell types have a relevant role in the pathogenesis of endotoxic shock, and that NAC, by improving the redox state of these immune cells, could increase mouse survival. Thus, antioxidants could offer an alternative treatment of human endotoxic shock.     

Macrophage elastase (MMP-12) in expanding murine adipose tissue

Background

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are known to play a role in adipose tissue development, but little information is available on the role of individual proteinases. Expansion of adipose tissue is associated with an increased macrophage content. Macrophage elastase (MMP-12) has an important role in macrophage infiltration, which induces pro-inflammatory effects in adipose tissue.

Methods

The role of MMP-12 was investigated in adipose tissues of MMP-12 deficient and wild-type control mice kept on normal chow or on high fat diet for 15 weeks.

Results

MMP-12 deficiency had no significant effect on total body weight or on subcutaneous (SC) or gonadal (GON) adipose tissue mass. Adipocyte and blood vessel size and density in SC and GON adipose tissues of obese mice were also comparable in MMP-12 deficient and control mice. Macrophage infiltration in SC and GON adipose tissues was not affected by MMP-12 deficiency, but the amount of crown-like structures (CLS) was significantly lower. MMP-12 deficiency did not affect elastin content in the extracellular matrix of SC or GON adipose tissue.

Conclusions

Adipose tissue mass and composition in mice with nutritionally induced obesity was not markedly affected by MMP-12 deficiency, except for an apparently lower degree of CLS.

General Significance

MMP-12 does not seem to be essential for macrophage infiltration in adipose tissue, but contributes to the formation of CLS surrounding moribund adipocytes.