Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans induces detachment and death of human gingival epithelial cells and fibroblasts via elastase release following leukotoxin‐dependent neutrophil lysis

Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans is considered to be associated with periodontitis. Leukotoxin (LtxA), which destroys leukocytes in humans, is one of this bacterium's major virulence factors. Amounts of neutrophil elastase (NE), which is normally localized in the cytoplasm of neutrophils, are reportedly increased in the saliva of patients with periodontitis. However, the mechanism by which NE is released from human neutrophils and the role of NE in periodontitis is unclear. In the present study, it was hypothesized that LtxA induces NE release from human neutrophils, which subsequently causes the breakdown of periodontal tissues. LtxA‐treatment did not induce significant cytotoxicity against human gingival epithelial cells (HGECs) or human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs). However, it did induce significant cytotoxicity against human neutrophils, leading to NE release. Furthermore, NE and the supernatant from LtxA‐treated human neutrophils induced detachment and death of HGECs and HGFs, these effects being inhibited by administration of an NE inhibitor, sivelestat. The present results suggest that LtxA mediates human neutrophil lysis and induces the subsequent release of NE, which eventually results in detachment and death of HGECs and HGFs. Thus, LtxA‐induced release of NE could cause breakdown of periodontal tissue and thereby exacerbate periodontitis.     

Successful treatment for perinephric abscess with recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor following nephrectomy in a patient of myelodysplastic syndrome: A case report

The 35-year-old man with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and granulocytopenia with dry cough and high fever was eventually found to have a left perinephric abscess ofStaphylococcus aureus. He underwent left nephrectomy and drainage of perinephric space in conjunction with appropriate antibiotics. However, because of persistent granulocytopenia,Staph. aureus never cleared up with formation of only poor granulation. Recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) was added to the above treatment leading to prompt improvement in granulocytopenia and emergence of the good granulation tissue. G-CSF will probably become one of the important agents in treating MDS with granulocytopenia.     

应用流式细胞仪研究抗IL-8单抗对IL-8激活人颗粒细胞活力的中和作用(英文)

以IL-8免疫的BALB/C小鼠脾细胞与Sp2/0或653小鼠骨髓瘤细胞融合构建了淋巴细胞杂交瘤克隆I8-S2和I8-63。ELISA叠加试验(ELISA Additivity Test)表明这两杂交瘤克隆分泌的单抗分别识别IL-8分子的不同表位。IL-8能激活人颗粒细胞,引起细胞内Ca~(2 )浓度([Ca~(2 )]_i)上升。通过流式细胞仪分析[Ca~(2 )]_i的变化,发现两个克隆单抗对IL8激活细胞的活力具有不同的中和作用。克隆I8-S2具有很强的中和作用,而克隆18-63则不然。上述结果提示IL-8的激活细胞活力局限于该分子的某表位。     

Latency of cathepsin B secreted by human colon carcinoma cells is not linked to secretion of cystacin C and is relieved by neutrophil elastase

The lysosomal cystein proteinase cathepsin B is shown to be secreted by ten human colon carcinoma cell lines and to accumulate in culture media as a latent enzyme. The cell lines also secrete a physiological inhibitor of cathepsin B, cystatin C. A significant correlation was found between secretion of the latent enzyme and the inhibitor (r = 0.755, P < 0.01). The aim of the present study was to modulate the respective secretion of the two antagonists to test whether or not latency of cathepsin B was due to the concomitant secretion of the inhibitor. SW480 colon carcinoma cells were treated with the acidotropic agent ammonium chloride, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, and the inflammatory cytokines TGF-β, TNF-α, and IL-1β. Ammonium chloride significantly increased latent cathepsin B levels without affecting the constitutive secretion of cystatin C. Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate induced a 4- to 5-fold increase in secreted latent cathepsin B, but did not alter significantly the accumulation of cystatin C in media. The cytokines, TGF-β, TNF-α, and IL-1β, had no major effect on the expression of these two antagonists. Latent cathepsin B released from human carcinoma cells could be efficiently activated by neutrophil elastate at neutral pH. It is concluded that latent cathepsin B is a true proenzyme rather than an enzyme-inhibitor comples. In addition, our data from neutrophil elastate activation experiments indicate that a proteolytic system for activation of the tumor cell-secreted latent enzyme may exist in vivo.     

Rapid purification of DesPro(2)-Val15-Leu17-aprotinin from the culture broth of a recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae

A rapid two-step procedure has been developed for the purification of Despro(2)-Val15-Leu17-aprotinin from the culture supernatant of a recombinant yeast by affinity and ion-exchange chromatography. DesPro(2)-Val15-Leu17-aprotinin was purified to homogeneity, as demonstrated by dodecylsulfate gel electrophoresis and analysis of the N-terminal amino acid sequence. (c) 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Temporal Association Between Pulmonary Inflammation and Antioxidant Induction Following Hyperoxic Exposure of the Preterm Guinea Pig

The time course and nature of the pulmonary inflammatory and antioxidant responses, both during and after hyperoxic-induced acute lung injury were studied in the preterm guinea pig. Three-day preterm (65 days gestation) guinea pigs were randomly exposed to either 21% O₂ (control) or 95% O₂ (hyperoxia) for 72 hours. All pups were then maintained in ambient conditions for up to a further 11 days, during which time lung damage was monitored. In animals exposed to hyperoxia, evidence of acute lung injury and inflammation was characterized by a marked increase in microvascular permeability and elevated numbers of neutrophils in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Protein concentration, elastase-like activity and elastase-inhibitory capacity in lavage fluid were at a maximum at the end of the 72 hours hyperoxic exposure. Four days later, all values had returned to control levels. In contrast, increased numbers of neutrophils, macrophages and lymphocytes were recovered in the lavage fluid during this early recovery period. Coinciding with the influx of inflammatory cells, there was a significant increase in glutathione peroxidase, manganese superoxide dismutase and catalase activities in immature lung. Lung copper/zinc superoxide dismutase activity remained unchanged during both experimental periods. The strong temporal relationship between the influx of inflammatory cells to the lung and the induction of pulmonary antioxidant enzyme defences suggests that a common mechanism underlies both responses. These findings have led us to regard inflammation in the hyperoxic-injured immature lung as a beneficial event and not, as previously suggested, as part of the injurious process.     

Alpha-aminoxy acids as building blocks for the oxime and hydroxylamine pseudopeptide links. Application to the synthesis of human elastase inhibitors.

The aminoxy acids NH2-O-C(alpha)HR-CO2H are much more easily obtained in the enantiomerically pure form than the analogous hydrazino acids NH2-NH-C(alpha)HR-CO2H, and it has been shown that the isosteric amidoxy psi[CO-NH-O] and hydrazide psi[CO-NH-NH] amide surrogates Induce two quite similar gamma-like folded structures. An aminoxy acid can also be N-coupled to a peptide aldehyde to give the aldoxime psi[CH = N-O] link or to a peptide ketone to form the ketoxime psi[CR= N-O] link. The former can be further reduced into the hydroxylamine psi[CH2-NH-O] link which gives rise to reduced amidoxy peptides. The structural properties Induced by these amide surrogates were studied, using IR and NMR spectroscopy, paying particular attention to the Z/E-isomerism of the oxime link. In order to investigate their inhibitory potency, the three amide surrogates were introduced in the Pro3-Val4 and Val4-Ala5 position of Z-Ala1-Ala2-Pro3-Val4-Ala5-Ala6-NHiPr, a substrate which is cleaved in the Val4-Ala5 position by human leukocyte elastase (HLE). The [Val4psi[CO-NH-O]Ala5] analogue was still a substrate, while the [Pro3psi[CO-NH-O]Val4] and [Val4psi[CH = N-O]Ala5] pseudopeptides acted as HLE competitive inhibitors.     

Protein 1a: A major wheat germ agglutinin binding protein on the surface of human granulocytes associated with the cytoskeleton

Lectin-receptors on leukocyte and endothelial surfaces are becoming more important in the light of increasing evidence which implicates lectin-carbohydrate interactions in diverse physiological phenomena. This study reports the identification of a major 118 kDa granulocyte surface protein, (Protein 1a) which binds the lectin wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), and is distinctly different from reported WGA binding granulocyte membrane proteins. Protein 1a has been isolated from the Triton-soluble and Triton-insoluble lysates of normal individuals and patients with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) using a combination of differential solubilization, lectin affinity, ion exchange chromatography and HPLC. The protein from the detergent lysates of both normal and CML granulocytes has similar pI values, lectin affinities, and hydrophobicity. However, its solubility in Triton is different in the two cell types. In 71% of CML cases examined, Protein 1a exhibits decreased Triton solubility suggesting its increased association with the cytoskeleton (CSK). Stimulation of normal granulocytes with WGA leads to the translocation of the soluble form of Protein 1a to the Triton-insoluble fraction. This cytoskeletal recruitment of Protein 1a is sustained only under conditions of excess WGA and occupied receptor. The CSK disruptive agent dihydrocytochalasin B (H₂CB) releases the insoluble form of the receptor into the Triton-soluble fraction. Investigation of a CSK-involving process such as ligand internalization revealed that CML granulocytes exhibit slower kinetics of internalization of fluorescent WGA molecules. Since Protein 1a is a major WGA receptor on the granulocyte surface, its decreased Triton solubility in CML granulocytes suggests that this may be one of the factors contributing to the defective receptor-mediated endocytosis of WGA by CML cells, arising as a consequence of altered membrane-CSK interaction — a nodal point in the signal transduction cascade.     

The ultrastructure of hemocytopoietic organs in the desert scorpion, Paruroctonus

The light and electron microscopes were used to examine possible hemocytopoietic tissue in the desert scorpion, Paruroctonus mesaensis. Results agree with earlier light microscopic studies that cells are released into the blood from the two lateral lymphoid organs and the supraneural gland. The former are sacciform structures attached by their anterior ends to the diaphragm. The supraneural gland forms the thickened wall of the supraneural artery in the mesosoma from the first to the third abdominal ganglia. The lateral lymphoid glands have an acellular stroma in which are embedded granular and agranular cells. The stroma is apparently formed by specialized cells which release membranous cell fragments that become the matrix of the gland. Cells are released into the body cavity from the periphery of the two organs. The supraneural gland has a fibrous stroma in which are embedded a variety of cell types. The cells appear to be released in greatest abundance into the blood in the lumen of the gland. The gland has cells with opaque granules (0.9-1.4 micron diameter) and agranular cells of variable shape. The most abundant cell, possibly the stem-cell for the others, is about 10 micron diameter and often has processes of variable length. In addition, muscle cells at various stages of differentiation are found at the inner margin of the gland. These cells have thick and thin myofilaments (24-32 and 5-8 nm diameter) and dense bodies which sometimes become organized into sarcomeres with Z-bands before the cells are released into the gland lumen. The function of these muscle cells is unknown, but possibly they contribute to the maintenance of blood pressure and the release of cells into the blood from the inner margin of the gland.     

Removal of insect basal laminae using elastase

We have used the enzyme elastase to remove the basal lamina of epithelia from two insects: the upper Malpighian tubules of Rhodnius prolixus and imaginai discs of Drosophila melanogaster. Removal of the basal lamina was confirmed using scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Use of the technique on the Malphighian tubules of Rhodnius reveals for the first time the three-dimensional organization of the circumferential folds of the basal plasma membrane. Elastase is much more effective in removing the basal lamina than are the enzymes hyaluronidase, collagenase, and chymotrypsin, either alone or in combination. Following elastase treatment, cells of the Malpighian tubules dissociate with only mild mechanical agitation into single, viable cells. Treatment with elastase removes the basal laminae of imaginai discs of Drosophila and accelerates evagination as has been previously described for trypsin. To obtain single cell preparations from elastase-treated imaginai discs, mechanical stirring in Ringer low in Ca²⁺ was required. In addition to its usefulness in cell isolation, elastase treatment allows examination of the effect of removal of basal laminae on the physiology and development of insect epithelia.