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Biomedical subjects

A D Beyers

Publications and source records attributed to A D Beyers.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Thymocyte activation induces the association of the proto-oncoprotein c-cbl and ras GTPase-activating protein with CD5.

Studies of knockout mice indicate that the glycoprotein CD5, which is expressed on Tcells, most thymocytes and a subset of B cells, down-regulates TCR- and B cell receptor (BCR)-mediated signaling. CD5 is associated with the TCR and BCR, and is phosphorylated on cytoplasmic tyrosine residues following antigen receptor ligation. Cross-linking of CD5 or pervanadate stimulation of thymocytes induces the association of a 120-kDa tyrosine-phosphorylated protein with CD5. The proto-oncoprotein c-cbl associates with CD5 in pervanadate-stimulated thymocytes, and reprecipitation analysis demonstrates that the major proportion of CD5-associated pp120 is c-cbl. The GTPase-activating protein for ras (ras GAP), which is not tyrosine phosphorylated following CD5 cross-linking, associates with CD5 in pervanadate-stimulated thymocytes. Using tyrosine-phosphorylated peptides we show that ras GAP interacts in an SH2-mediated manner with the phosphorylated Y429SQP sequence of CD5. Both c-cbl and ras GAP have been proposed to suppress receptor-mediated signaling, and may contribute to CD5-mediated suppression of TCR or BCR signaling.

Amino Acid Sequence

Novel method for rapid measurement of growth of mycobacteria in detergent-free media.

We describe a novel, rapid, and inexpensive method for the measurement of growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mycobacterium bovis, and Mycobacterium smegmatis in the presence or absence of detergent. The method, which employs hot NaOH treatment of mycobacterial cells to release total cellular protein, compares favorably with other methods for monitoring mycobacterial growth but is particularly useful for heavily clumped cultures grown in defined minimal medium.

Bacterial Proteins

Signals that regulate the host response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

An appropriate T helper (Th) 1 immune response is required for the elimination of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The factors regulating the polarization of mouse or human T cells to produce Th1 or Th2 cytokines are briefly reviewed. These factors include host genetics, cytokines present at the site of T cell activation, the type, dose and localization of antigen, the type of antigen-presenting cells, the engagement of different costimulatory molecules, steroid hormones and age. T cells of children produce low levels of gamma-interferon and we hypothesize that this may partly explain the differences in the clinical manifestations of tuberculosis in children and adults. Given that Th2 cytokines inhibit Th1 responses, the question arises of whether individuals mounting prominent Th2 responses, manifested by high serum IgE levels, are more susceptible to M. tuberculosis. In a community with a high incidence of tuberculosis, serum IgF levels, a marker of prominent Th2 responses, correlate with disease incidence and with socioeconomic deprivation. We propose that Th2 immune dominance, probably induced by intestinal parasites, enhances susceptibility to tuberculosis. Furthermore, our finding that serum IgE declines in patients following active tuberculosis argues that tuberculosis down-regulates Th2 responses.

Age Factors

Thymocyte activation induces the association of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and pp120 with CD5.

CD5 is a glycoprotein expressed on thymocytes, T cells, and a subset of B cells. Antibody-mediated cross-linking studies or studies on CD5 knockout mice implicate CD5 as a co-stimulatory or negative regulatory molecule. CD5 is rapidly phosphorylated on tyrosine (Y) residues following Tcell activation. Y429 and Y441 occur in an imperfect immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif (ITAM)-like sequence. We investigated whether phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase, which binds to tyrosine-phosphorylated ITAM, interacts with CD5 following T cell activation. PI 3-kinase activity and the regulatory p85 subunit of PI 3-kinase associated with CD5 in pervanadate-stimulated, but not in unstimulated thymocytes. Cellular p85 as well as the recombinant Src homology 2 (SH2) domains of p85 bound a tyrosine-phosphorylated peptide encompassing Y463 with approximately threefold greater affinity than a doubly tyrosine-phosphorylated Y429-Y441 peptide. Binding of the C-SH2 domain to the Y463 phosphopeptide, together with preferential binding of the N-SH2 domain to the Y429-Y441 phosphopeptide, suggests a bivalent interaction. A 120-kDa phosphoprotein (pp120) associated with CD5 and specifically with the Y429-Y441 phosphopeptide in stimulated thymocytes. We conclude that stimulation of thymocytes with pervanadate induces the recruitment of PI 3-kinase and pp120 to CD5.

Amino Acid Sequence

Characterisation of phosphoprotein complexes associated with rat thymocyte Thy-1.

We have previously demonstrated the non-covalent association of the protein tyrosine kinases p56lck and p60fyn together with a number of substrates for phosphorylation with rat thymocyte Thy-1. Here we present evidence that one of these associated phosphoproteins, p85, is associated by disulphide bridging with another polypeptide, demonstrating that it is an integral membrane protein with an extracellular domain. We also show that phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase activity may be coprecipitated with Thy-1 in Brij 96 thymocyte lysates.

Animals

Detection of T and B cells in many animal species using cross-reactive anti-peptide antibodies.

A wide range of lineage-specific Ag are detectable in the human lymphoid system using mAb, but only a few such markers are detectable in animal species. In this paper, we have investigated the interspecies reactivity of antibodies raised against intracytoplasmic peptide sequences from two T cell Ag (CD3 and CD5) and two B cell markers (the Ig-associated polypeptides encoded by the mb-1 and B29 genes). Immunocytochemical labeling of tissue sections showed that these antibodies cross-react widely between different species (including ungulates, rodents, and marsupials), staining B or T cell areas selectively in lymphoid tissue. The specificity of these antibodies for the animal homologues of the human T and B cell markers was confirmed for the rat by Western blotting analysis. The broad cross-reactivity of these antibodies appears to be due to the fact that they were raised against intracytoplasmic peptide sequences that are highly conserved between humans and rodents, i.e., 80% for mb-1, 85% for CD5, and 100% for CD3 and B29. This strategy should, in the future, widen the range of lineage-associated markers detectable in experimental animals.

Amino Acid Sequence

Physical association of the cytoplasmic domain of CD2 with the tyrosine kinases p56lck and p59fyn.

In T lymphocytes, CD2 forms part of a loosely associated membrane complex which includes the T cell receptor (TcR) for antigen, the CD3 subunits, CD4 or CD8, CD5 and the protein tyrosine kinases p56lck and p59fyn. The interaction of CD2 with tyrosine kinases in this complex provides a possible mechanism for transmembrane signal transduction by CD2. We have investigated whether the interaction of CD2 with the kinases is dependent on other known members of the complex, or whether an independent association can be observed. Using in vitro kinase assays with immune complexes precipitated from cell lysates, we demonstrate that CD2 can associate with p56lck and p59fyn in a rat thymoma line that does not express CD4 or CD8, and in a TcR-negative Jurkat cell line. In TcR-positive Jurkat cells that express rat CD2, interaction of CD2 with p56lck and p59fyn was clearly seen, but it was absent in cells where the cytoplasmic tail of CD2 is truncated, indicating that the interactions are mediated by the cytoplasmic region of CD2. Furthermore, using cells expressing CD2 molecules with partial truncations in the cytoplasmic domain, we show that the association of CD2 with p56lck is progressively lost as the cytoplasmic domain is shortened, and that the capacity of the mutants to associate with p56lck correlates with their capacity to transduce transmembrane signals.

Animals

The association of the protein tyrosine kinases p56lck and p60fyn with the glycosyl phosphatidylinositol-anchored proteins Thy-1 and CD48 in rat thymocytes is dependent on the state of cellular activation.

Cell surface glycoproteins anchored to the plasma membrane via glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) structures, and hence having no cytoplasmic domains, can nevertheless transmit activation signals in lymphocytes. By immunoprecipitation from detergent lysates and in vitro immune complex kinase reactions the GPI-anchored molecules Thy-1 and CD48 are shown to be associated with multimolecular complexes of phosphoproteins including the protein tyrosine kinases p56lck and p60fyn in both rat and mouse thymocytes. Moreover, the kinase activity associated with Thy-1 on rat thymocytes is shown to be dependent on the activation state of the cells, with stimulation by the lectin, concanavalin A, producing a marked decrease in Thy-1-associated kinase activity. In such activated cells, there is an increased association of kinase activity with CD48, but this may be explained in terms of increased surface expression of CD48 and of increased total kinase activity. Additional phosphoproteins of 85, 36 and 32 kDa were consistently seen as components of the complexes.

Animals

Molecular associations between the T-lymphocyte antigen receptor complex and the surface antigens CD2, CD4, or CD8 and CD5.

The T-cell antigen receptor (TCR) complex is the key structure involved in signal transduction in T cells. To analyze associations between the TCR complex and other molecules, immunoprecipitations were carried out, followed by phosphorylation of molecules in vitro by tyrosine kinases associated with the precipitated molecules. This provided a sensitive assay for molecular complexes, and associations were demonstrated between the TCR complex and the surface antigens CD2, CD4, or CD8 and CD5 in normal rat T cells. The complexes were readily seen in immunoprecipitates from Brij 96 but not Nonidet P-40 detergent extracts. The multimolecular complexes are associated with the internal tyrosine kinases p56lck and p59fyn. The presence of p56lck associated with CD4 or CD8 was also examined in early thymocytes, natural killer cells, and macrophages. The kinase was present in all cases except that of normal macrophages.

Animals

Signal transduction by the CD2 antigen in T cells and natural killer cells: requirement for expression of a functional T cell receptor or binding of antibody Fc to the Fc receptor, Fc gamma RIIIA (CD16).

Crosslinking of CD2 antigen on T lymphocytes and natural killer (NK) cells leads to a rise in cytoplasmic-free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i). However, CD2 seems unlikely to interact directly with the second messenger pathways since signaling via CD2 is poor in T cells that lack the T cell receptor (TCR) and is absent in L cells or insect cells that express CD2. In contrast, NK cells that are also TCR- can be triggered via CD2, but it is unclear as to whether the CD16 Fc receptor (FcR) may facilitate this effect. The CD16 transmembrane molecule is expressed in a complex with the zeta homodimer or the zeta/gamma heterodimer and these dimers are also associated with the TCR complex. Thus, it seemed that zeta chains may provide the link between signaling on NK cells and T cells. This could be tested on TCR- cells since when CD16 is transfected into T cells it is expressed in a complex with TCR zeta homodimer or the zeta/gamma heterodimer. At first, potentiation of CD2 signaling was seen on TCR- Jurkat cells expressing CD16, but this was found to be dependent on trace levels (1%) of IgG in F(ab')2 antibody preparations. With pure F(ab')2, the effect was lost. Signaling on a rat NK cell line was also re-examined with F(ab')2 antibodies that had no IgG contamination, and again no signal transduction via CD2 was seen. We thus conclude that there is no clear evidence for potent signaling via CD2 on cells that lack a TCR complex and that TCR zeta chain expressed at the cell surface is not sufficient to potentiate signaling via CD2 as measured by an increase in [Ca2+]i.

Animals

Autonomous roles for the cytoplasmic domains of the CD2 and CD4 T cell surface antigens.

CD2 and CD4 are single chain transmembrane T cell surface molecules that are involved in signal transduction. Chimaeric constructs from rat CD2 and CD4 antigens were expressed in the Jurkat human T cell line to examine the role of extracellular, transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains in mediating functions controlled by CD2 and CD4. The results show that the large rise in concentration of cytoplasmic free Ca2+ mediated via CD2 crosslinking is controlled by the cytoplasmic domain and does not require the CD2 transmembrane and extracellular domains. Similarly the CD4 cytoplasmic domain alone was shown to encode the specificity for binding to the p56lck tyrosine kinase and to control down-modulation of CD4 after treatment with phorbol ester. Evidence was obtained that down-modulation of CD4 occurs when p56lck dissociates from the cytoplasmic domain due to phosphorylation of Ser 405.

Amino Acid Sequence

Activation of T lymphocytes via monoclonal antibodies against rat cell surface antigens with particular reference to CD2 antigen.

In the rat, monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against the T-lymphocyte receptor (TCR), CD3 antigen and CD2 antigen are mitogenic for T lymphocytes. Antibodies against CD43 (leukosialin) and CD5 are not, but can enhance the effects of other stimuli. Activation of a T-lymphocyte cell line in terms of triggering an increase in free cytoplasmic Ca2+ [( Ca2+]i) was mediated by mAbs against Class 1 MHC and CD4 in addition to the mitogenic mAbs. In the presence of non-activating levels of anti-TCR mAb a strong synergistic signal was seen with anti-CD4, but incubation with anti-CD4 prior to activation with anti-CD3 inhibited the CD3 signal. Stimulation of DNA synthesis in resting T cells via anti-CD2 mAbs required a combination of two non-competitive antibodies and addition of a third anti-CD2 mAb inhibited the activation. The anti-CD2 mAbs were active on all types of mature T cells from peripheral lymphoid organs and the thymus, but cells in the thymus that lacked a TCR could not be activated via CD2. Rat CD2 was transfected into Jurkat cells and cross-linking with anti-rat CD2 mAbs gave an increase in [Ca2+]i similar to that seen with an anti-human CD3 mAb. All three types of anti-rat CD2 mAbs gave a signal including the mAb that inhibited mitogenesis. Signal transduction via CD2 was not seen in L cells and was only weakly observed in TCR-ve Jurkat cells that had been transfected with rat CD2. The cytoplasmic domain of transfected CD2 was shown to be important for the signal transduction since no increase in [Ca2+]i could be triggered in cells expressing mutant CD2 that lacked the cytoplasmic domain. Mutant forms with increasing lengths of cytoplasmic domain showed functions that progressively approached that of the native function.

Amino Acid Sequence

Apparent involvement of phospholipase A2, but not protein kinase C, in the pro-oxidative interactions of clofazimine with human phagocytes.

The anti-leprosy agent, clofazimine, at concentrations of 0.1-5 micrograms/ml caused a dose-related, stimulus-non-specific (N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine, calcium ionophore, opsonised zymosan, arachidonic acid and phorbol myristate acetate) potentiation of superoxide generation by human neutrophils in vitro without affecting basal oxidative responses. The pro-oxidative interactions of clofazimine with neutrophils were eliminated by the phospholipase A2 inhibitor 4-p-bromophenacyl bromide but not by the protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor H-7. In support of these observations clofazimine promoted the release of radiolabeled arachidonic acid from neutrophil membrane phospholipids but did not influence the activity of PKC in cytosolic extracts of neutrophils or of purified PKC from rat brain. Pro-oxidative interactions of clofazimine with human phagocytes may contribute to the intraphagocytic antimycobacterial activity of this agent.

1-(5-Isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-Methylpiperazine

Characterization of protein kinase C and its isoforms in human T lymphocytes.

Protein kinase C (PKC) regulates numerous T cell functions and is present in abundance in normal human T cells and certain T cell lines. Although crude Triton X-100 soluble material obtained from T cell pellets contains minimal PKC activity, DEAE chromatography revealed that 12 to 37% of cellular PKC was membrane associated, probably due to removal of an inhibitor through column chromatography. As in other tissues, PKC from lymphoid tissue was phospholipid and Ca2+ dependent and diolein reduced the Ca2+ requirements for enzyme activity. Hydroxylapatite chromatography revealed that T cells possess two major peaks of PKC activity. Although, the enzyme in these peaks had similar m.w. and identical iso-electric mobility, the proteins differed with respect to their autophosphorylation sites and immunoreactivity toward an isoform specific antibody. Furthermore, differences in their activities in the presence of phospholipid, diolein, and limiting amounts of Ca2+ imply that these isoforms may be differentially activated. We discuss optimal conditions for activation of PKC and its isoforms for study of T lymphocyte cellular function.

Cell Line

A role in transmembrane signaling for the cytoplasmic domain of the CD2 T lymphocyte surface antigen.

The CD2 antigen can mediate mitogenesis of T lymphocytes after binding combinations of monoclonal antibodies. To examine the importance of the cytoplasmic domain in signaling, rat CD2 cDNA has been transfected into the human Jurkat cell line and triggering of an increase in cytoplasmic free Ca2+ concentration [( Ca2+]i) has been assayed. In cells expressing full-length CD2, a clear signal was triggered with anti-CD2 monoclonal antibodies. In contrast, a barely detectable increase in [Ca2+]i occurred with mutant rat CD2 molecules that included only 6 or 40 amino acids of the full-length cytoplasmic domain of 116 residues. It thus appears that the CD2 cytoplasmic domain plays a role in the signaling event.

Amino Acid Sequence