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Biomedical subjects

G Delespesse

Publications and source records attributed to G Delespesse.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

In vitro maturation of human neonatal CD4 T lymphocytes. I. Induction of IL-4-producing cells after long-term culture in the presence of IL-4 plus either IL-2 or IL-12.

Recent studies in the mouse have established that IL-4 and IL-12 direct the development of Ag-stimulated naive CD4 T cells into, respectively, type 2 and type 1 Th cells. We report that prolonged exposure of immunologically naive and unstimulated human neonatal CD4 T cells to IL-4 or to IL-4 plus either IL-2 or IL-12 markedly affects their cytokine production on primary stimulation with PMA and ionomycin. IL-4 induces long-term proliferation of neonatal T cells and after 3 wk of culture these are capable of producing high levels of Th1 (IL-2, IFN-gamma) but no Th2 (IL-4, IL-5) cytokines; IL-4-primed cells are homogenously CD45RO-/RA+ and CD31+. After culture in the presence of IL-4 + IL-2 or IL-4 + IL-12, neonatal T cells are enriched in CD45RO+ and CD31- cells and they can produce Th2 as well as Th1 cytokines. In response to primary stimulation with PMA and ionomycin, cells primed with IL-4 + IL-2 produce IL-4, IL-5, and IL-10 and the same levels of IL-2 and IFN-gamma as IL-4-primed cells. Cells primed with IL-4 + IL-12 produce very high levels of both IL-4 and IFN-gamma but no IL-5. Endogenous IFN-gamma that is detected in primary cultures containing IL-4 + IL-12 does not inhibit, but rather enhances, the ability of the cells to produce IL-4. Further analysis of IL-4 + IL-12-primed cells reveals that IL-4 is mainly produced by CD31- cells and that these cells can trigger B cells to synthesize Ig including IgE. Finally, positively selected CD31+ cells remain CD31+ and are poor IL-4 producers after 3 wk of culture with IL-4 + IL-12, suggesting that these two cytokines promote the selective expansion of the small number of CD31- cells that are present in freshly isolated neonatal CD4 T cells.

Adult↗

Interleukin 12 exerts a differential effect on the maturation of neonatal and adult human CD45R0- CD4 T cells.

It is now recognized that IL-12 plays a predominant role in protective immunity against intracellular pathogens by promoting the development of T helper type 1 (Th1) responses. We here report the unexpected observations that IL-12 exerts differential effects on the maturation of "native" human CD4 T cells isolated from umbilical cord blood or from the blood of healthy adults. After priming in the presence of IL-12, naive cells of adult donors, defined as CD45R0- CD4+ T cells, acquire a Th1 phenotype whereas neonatal cells develop into effector cells producing high levels of IL-4 in addition to IFN-gamma. This effect of IL-12 on neonatal T cells is direct inasmuch as it is observed on highly purified CD4 T cells, however, it is not inhibited by CD8 T cells and natural killer cells. Unstimulated neonatal T cells which have been preincubated with IL-12 before the priming behave like adult T cells and acquire a Th1 phenotype after stimulation in the presence of IL-12. Given that IL-4 is a potent antagonist of Th1 responses, the finding that IL-12 promotes the maturation of neonatal T cells into IL-4 producers may explain the increased susceptibility of neonates to intracellular pathogens and should be taken into account for the development of vaccines to be used in the perinatal period.

Adult↗

IL-12 induces the production of IFN-gamma by neonatal human CD4 T cells.

A major difference between "naive" and "memory" or "effector" Th cells is the spectrum of cytokines that they are capable of producing. After stimulation naive cells produce only IL-2, whereas memory cells produce several cytokines including IFN-gamma and IL-4. Using umbilical cord blood-derived CD4 T cells as a source of naive T cells, we first report that these cells are capable of producing large amounts of IFN-gamma when cultured with low concentrations of IL-12. The response is time- and dose-dependent, and it is observed at the protein and mRNA levels. IL-12 also induces neonatal CD4 T cells to produce lymphotoxin but not IL-2, TNF-alpha, or IL-4. The production of IFN-gamma by IL-12-stimulated neonatal T cells is associated with a small but significant T cell activation evidenced by DNA synthesis and by the expression of the activation markers CD25, CD71, and HLA-DR; moreover, it is inhibited by hydrocortisone, cyclosporin A, and transforming growth factor-beta. The response to IL-12 is enhanced and is much more rapid when CD4 T cells are cultured in the presence of accessory cells or of exogenous IL-1, IL-2, or TNF-alpha. Using a three-step culture system, we next show that IL-12 induces the maturation of resting naive CD4 T cells into cells producing both IL-2 and IFN-gamma but not IL-4 upon stimulation with PMA and ionomycin. Endogenously produced IFN-gamma plays a role in this IL-12-induced T cell maturation, as shown by the inhibitory effect of neutralizing IFN-gamma antibodies. Finally, we show that IL-12 supports the production of IFN-gamma during primary stimulation of neonatal T cells via the CD3/TCR complex by means of either immobilized anti-CD3 mAb or superantigen-coated (Staphylococcus enterotoxin B) fixed L cell transfectants expressing HLA-DR. It is suggested that IL-12 is involved in the selection of Th1 type immune responses.

Antigen-Presenting Cells↗

Ligation of CD23 triggers cyclic AMP generation in human B lymphocytes.

The low affinity IgE receptor CD23 may play a role in several B lymphocyte functions, such as cell activation and multiplication, Ag presentation, and IgE production. We have previously reported that ligation of the CD23 molecule with anti-CD23 mAb, or IgE-anti-IgE complexes, leads to phosphoinositide hydrolysis and calcium mobilization through the generation of Inositol (1,4,5) trisphosphate via a process involving a Pertussis toxin insensitive GTP-binding protein. In our work, we show that anti-CD23 mAb elicit an increase in cAMP concentration in human peripheral blood-derived B lymphocytes. This effect was detected both in resting and in IL-4-stimulated B cells displaying, respectively, low and high levels of CD23. Maximum cAMP accumulation was reached about 20 min after addition of the mAb. Involvement of Fc gamma RII in this process could be excluded because cAMP increase was also triggered by mAb anti-CD23 F(ab')2 fragments. Accumulation of cAMP was also observed when IgE-sensitized activated B lymphocytes were challenged with the specific hapten. Several lines of evidence indicate that the cAMP increase after CD23 ligation may result, in part, from the stimulation of phosphoinositidase C, inasmuch as it was markedly impaired by treatment with TMB-8, an inhibitor of InsP3-induced calcium release from intracytoplasmic stores and with BAPTA, an intracellular calcium chelator. Addition of GTP-gamma S to permeabilized B cells or to membrane preparations did not potentiate the effect of the mAb, suggesting that a Gs protein is not directly implicated in the generation of cAMP. Besides, cAMP accumulation is not due to the production of PG because it is not modified by indomethacin, an inhibitor of the cyclooxygenase pathway. Pretreatment of B lymphocytes with either anti-CD23 mAb or IL-4 led to autologous as well as heterologous desensitization. This negative cross-talk, at the level of cAMP, between the signaling pathways triggered by ligation of CD23 and of the IL-4 receptor, could contribute to the inhibitory effect of anti-CD23 mAb on IL-4-dependent B cell activation and differentiation.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Constitutive expression and production of tumor necrosis factor-beta in T-cell lines infected with HTLV-I and HTLV-II.

A highly sensitive enzyme-linked immunoassay was developed to detect soluble levels of TNF-beta. Analysis of TNF-beta in culture supernatants from long-term T-cell lines infected with human T-cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV) types I and II demonstrated elevated levels of TNF-beta when compared with uninfected T-cell lines. Presence of interleukin-2 in the culture medium showed a synergistic effect upon TNF-beta production. Further, constitutive expression of TNF-beta mRNA was observed in most cell lines infected with HTLV-I or HTLV-II. These results demonstrate that infections with HTLV-I/II can alter production of TNF-beta, presumably via the transactivation of TNF-beta promoter by the tax protein of HTLV-I and HTLV-II.

Cell Line↗

Interleukin 4 protects chronic lymphocytic leukemic B cells from death by apoptosis and upregulates Bcl-2 expression.

B chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) is characterized by the accumulation of slow-dividing and long-lived monoclonal B cells arrested at the intermediate stage of their differentiation. We previously showed that interleukin 4 (IL-4) not only inhibits but also prevents the proliferation of B-CLL cells. We report here that IL-4 protects the B-CLL cells from death by apoptosis (programmed cell death [PCD]). IL-4 inhibits spontaneous and hydrocortisone (HC)-induced PCD of highly purified B cells from 12 unselected CLL patients, as shown by sustained cell viability and lack of DNA fragmentation. IL-1, -2, -3, -5, -6, -7, tumor necrosis factor alpha, and transforming growth factor beta have no protective effect. The in vitro rescue from apoptosis by IL-4 is reflected by an increased expression of Bcl-2 protein, a proto-oncogene directly involved in the prolongation of cell survival in vivo and in vitro. Hence, IL-4-treated B-CLL cells express significantly more Bcl-2 than unstimulated, HC-treated, or fresh B-CLL cells. Furthermore, subcutaneous injection of IL-4 into one CLL patient enhances Bcl-2 protein expression in the leukemic B cells. These data may suggest that IL-4 prevents apoptosis of B-CLL cells using a Bcl-2-dependent pathway. Given our recent observations that fresh T cells from B-CLL patients express IL-4 mRNA, we propose that IL-4 has an essential role in the pathogenesis of CLL disease, by preventing both the death and the proliferation of the malignant B cells.

Adult↗

Ligation of CD23 triggers cAMP generation and release of inflammatory mediators in human monocytes.

Transduction through the CD23 molecule (Fc epsilon RII) was analyzed in normal human monocytes using monoclonal antibodies to CD23 (MHM6 and 135) and IgE/anti-IgE immune complexes. Monocytes expressing an increased amount of CD23 molecules were obtained by stimulation with IL-4 (30 U/ml). Anti-CD23 mAb as well as IgE/anti-IgE immune complexes were unable to induce any significant calcium mobilization [Ca2+]i in CD23-bearing monocytes whereas they elicited [Ca2+]i increase in B lymphocytes of the same donors. Despite their failure to induce calcium mobilization, the same CD23 ligands triggered a dose-dependent increase of intracellular cAMP, with a maximum 20 to 30 min after the onset of stimulation. This effect is mediated via CD23 inasmuch as: 1) F(ab)'2 fragments are as active as intact anti-CD23 mAb and 2) it is not observed in CD23- monocytes. The increase in cAMP was only partially altered in the presence of 1 microM indomethacin suggesting that it was not due to the release of PG. The possible role of CD23 in the activation of human monocytes was next documented by showing that anti-CD23 mAb and IgE/anti-IgE immune complexes induced the generation of IL-6 and of thromboxane B2 by CD23+ but not by CD23- monocytes. In addition, the IgE/anti-IgE-induced IL-6 production was potentiated in the presence of cAMP inducer such as the beta 2-adrenoceptor agonist salbutamol. These results indicate that ligation of CD23 induces cAMP generation in CD23+ human monocytes and that CD23 may regulate the IgE-dependent functions in normal human monocytes.

Acute-Phase Reaction↗

IL-4 induces conformational change of CD20 antigen via a protein kinase C-independent pathway. Antagonistic effect of anti-CD40 monoclonal antibody.

The CD20 molecule is a unique phosphoprotein exclusively expressed on B cells during most stages of B cell ontogeny. We here report that rIL-4 down-regulates the expression of CD20 with anti-Leu-16 mAb (clone L27) on both unstimulated and anti-mu preactivated normal and leukemic B cells. None of the other recombinant lymphokines tested (IL-1, IL-2, IL-3, IL-6, IFN-alpha, and IFN-gamma, granulocyte/macrophage-CSF, transforming growth factor-beta, TNF-alpha, and lymphotoxin) decreased CD20 expression. Incubation of unstimulated or anti-mu preactivated B cells with IL-4 did not affect the steady state CD20 mRNA, suggesting that IL-4 exerted its effect mainly at a nontranscriptional level. Hence, IL-4 selectively down-regulates the CD20 epitope recognized by clone L27 without affecting seven other different epitopes, indicating that IL-4 acts by modifying the conformation of the CD20 molecule rather than by inhibiting its production or inducing its internalization. IL-4 most likely utilizes a protein kinase C-independent signal transduction pathway to modify CD20 molecule inasmuch as staurosporine, an inhibitor of protein kinase C, antagonizes phorbol esters (PMA) but not IL-4-induced CD20 down-regulation. In contrast, anti-CD40 mAb reverses the IL-4 but not the PMA inhibitory effect on CD20 expression. Given that CD20 may be part of a Ca2+ ion channel and plays a role in B cell activation and proliferation, it is proposed that the ability of anti-CD40 mAb to maintain the CD20 molecule in a given epitopic configuration on IL-4-stimulated B cells may be related to the long term proliferation of normal B cells that are strictly dependent on the presence of IL-4 and cross-linked anti-CD40 mAb for their continuous growth.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Low-molecular weight B cell growth factor (BCGF-12KD) as an autocrine growth factor in B cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

The role of cytokines in the growth and spreading of human hematologic malignancies has been underlined in recent years. Here we report evidence that a human 12-kDa B cell growth factor (BCGF-12KD) may function as a growth stimulatory factor in B cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL). First, recombinant BCGF-12KD induced dose-dependent DNA synthesis in neoplastic B cells of four B-CLL patients tested. Second, seven different B-CLL clones secreted a BCGF-12KD-like product that accounted for their proliferation. A neutralizing monoclonal antibody (mAb; Ac8) directed against a BCGF-12KD synthetic peptide inhibited the spontaneous growth of the leukemic B cells. The same mAb blocked DNA synthesis in normal tonsillar B lymphocytes induced by the culture supernatant of spontaneously proliferating B-CLL cells. Finally, BCGF-12KD mRNA was expressed in freshly isolated (two of three patients) as well as in vitro proliferating B-CLL cells (three of three patients). These findings strongly suggest that BCGF-12KD can modulate the growth of B-CLL cells in vivo as well as in vitro. They may offer significant insights into the biology of this frequent B lymphoproliferative disorder.

Adult↗

Differential effect of transforming growth factor beta on the synthesis of Th1- and Th2-like lymphokines by human T lymphocytes.

(TGF)-beta is a pluripotent cytokine exerting differential effects on distinct components of the immune response. The present report, based on lymphokine determination in culture supernatants and Northern blot analysis of lymphokine mRNA, demonstrates that TGF-beta 2 markedly inhibits interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-5 synthesis by polyclonally activated human T cells in the absence of any significant effect on (IFN)-gamma, lymphotoxin or IL-2, suggesting a modulatory effect of TGF-beta 2 on the interferon Th1/Th2) balance of immune responses. The inhibitory effect of TGF-beta on IFN-gamma production by unfractionated peripheral blood mononuclear cells is likely to reflect the blunting of natural killer cell activation by TGF-beta.

Humans↗

Cytokine effects of CD23 are mediated by an epitope distinct from the IgE binding site.

Human CD23 and its soluble forms (sCD23) display various biological activities, in addition to their IgE binding function (IgE/BF). The IgE binding domain was recently mapped to residues between Cys163 and Cys282 but its involvement in IgE-independent, CD23 functions remains unknown. In order to clarify this point, a series of N-terminal, C-terminal and internal deletion mutants of CD23 or sCD23 were expressed in CHO cells and tested for their ability (i) to bind to IgE, (ii) to induce colony formation by human myeloid precursor cells, (iii) to promote mature T cell marker expression by early prothymocytes, and (iv) to regulate IgE synthesis. The present study indicates that cytokine activities require the presence of Cys288, while this amino acid is not necessary for IgE/BF. Blocking experiments using various conformation-sensitive monoclonal antibodies further suggest that active epitope(s) of CD23 in cytokine assays is(are) distinct from those involved in IgE/BF.

Animals↗

Eosinophil IgE receptor and CD23.

In the present review, eosinophil Fc epsilon RII was compared to CD23, a differentiation marker of B cells. Biochemical analysis revealed that molecules of similar molecular weight were immunoprecipitated from eosinophils and B cells by an anti-CD23 monoclonal antibody (mAb) or by BB10, and anti-eosinophil Fc epsilon RII. By flow cytometry, a correlation was found between the binding of anti-CD23 mAb and myeloma IgE. However, a low expression of different epitopes of CD23 was observed in various hypereosinophilic patients. Northern blot analysis of eosinophil RNA with the cDNA probe of CD23 revealed a weak message in only 3 of the 6 patients expressing membrane CD23. The inhibition by anti-CD23 mAbs of IgE-mediated cytotoxicity and IgE binding to eosinophils clearly indicated the participation of CD23 or a related molecule in IgE-dependent eosinophil functions. However, the differential effects of anti-CD23 mAbs on eosinophils and B cells suggest major differences in the characteristics of the molecule expressed by eosinophils and by B cells.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Expression, regulation and function of human Fc epsilon RII (CD23) antigen.

CD23, also known as the low affinity receptor for IgE (Fc epsilon RII), belongs to a novel superfamily of type-II integral membrane proteins. Fc epsilon RII expression was originally described on B cells but subsequent studies showed that CD23 is expressed on a variety of hematopoietic cells and is regulated by several cytokines (i.e., interleukin-4, interferons) in a tissue-specific manner. In some pathological conditions such as B-chronic lymphocytic leukemia, the CD23 gene is abnormally regulated resulting in CD23 overexpression. CD23 is not only an IgE receptor but also a membrane-bound precursor of soluble molecules that still bind IgE (sCD23 or IgE-binding factors). The functions of membrane CD23 are IgE-dependent and vary according to the cell types on which it is expressed. In contrast, sCD23, in addition to being an IgE regulatory molecule, displays multiple cytokine activities that are IgE-independent.

B-Lymphocytes↗

Modulation of human IgE synthesis by transforming growth factor-beta.

Exogenous transforming growth factor-beta 2 (TGF-beta 2) markedly inhibits the interleukin 4 (IL4)-stimulated synthesis of human IgE in three models where the B cell co-stimulation signals are contact dependent. This concerns T cell-dependent IgE production by (i) unfractionated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PMBC) cultured with IL4 and (ii) highly purified B cells cocultured with irradiated EL4 thymoma cells in the presence of IL4 and phorbol myristate acetate, as well as monocyte-dependent IgE production by rigorously T cell-depleted PBMC cultured with IL4 and hydrocortisone. The suppression is not isotype specific. TGF-beta exerts its effect by inhibiting the proliferation of B cells and perhaps also the differentiation of proliferating B cells. However, at a later stage of differentiation, IgE B cells are refractory to the inhibitory effect of TGF-beta, as shown by the slight but significant increase of the spontaneous secretion of IgE by PBMC of atopic patients. This enhancement is due to the suppression of endogenous interferon-gamma production. Most interestingly the synthesis of IgE by highly purified B cells costimulated with IL4 and Epstein-Barr virus is unaffected by TGF-beta. It is concluded that TGF-beta mainly acts by inhibiting IL4-supported B cell proliferation; however, its effects depend upon the B cell costimulation signals that are required together with IL4 for the induction of IgE synthesis.

Antibody-Producing Cells↗

CD23 antigen regulation and signaling in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

B lymphocytes from patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLLs), strongly express the CD23 antigen, a surface marker with significant prognostic importance in this disease. Because we previously reported that IL-4 shows a poor capacity for CD23 expression on B-CLLs, we first examined the possible mechanisms underlying CD23 overexpression on B-CLLs and found that mitogen-activated CLL T cells release soluble factors that are capable, in synergy with IL-4, of strongly inducing CD23. Using neutralizing Abs, we noticed that the T-cell-derived enhancing activity is entirely ascribed to the combined effects of IFN gamma (potent inhibitor of CD23 on normal B cells), TNF alpha (which has no effect on normal B cells), and IL-2 (which has a slight enhancing effect on both CLL and normal B cells). Furthermore, recombinant IFN gamma as well as IFN alpha, TNF alpha, and IL-2 (but not IL-3, IL-5, IL-6, IL-7, and lymphotoxin) significantly enhance CD23 protein and mRNA expression on B-CLLs, in the presence or absence of IL-4. Inasmuch as optimal CD23 expression absolutely requires the combination of IFN gamma, IL-2, TNF alpha (the production of which is increased in CLL disease), and IL-4, it was relevant to show that IL-4 mRNA is indeed expressed in fresh T-CLL cells. We next examined the possible role of CD23 in the regulation of B-CLL proliferation. Signaling through CD23 via ligation of the antigen by F(ab')2 anti-CD23 MAb but not Fab fragments inhibits the cytokine-induced B-CLL DNA synthesis. It is concluded that the CD23 gene is abnormally regulated in B-CLL disease and that cross-linking of CD23 molecule delivers a negative growth signal to the leukemic B cells.

Antigens, Differentiation, B-Lymphocyte↗

Recombinant interleukin-12 suppresses the synthesis of immunoglobulin E by interleukin-4 stimulated human lymphocytes.

Interleukin-12 is a recently discovered lymphokine displaying an array of in vitro activities suggesting a major role in protective immunity against infectious agents like viruses. This study provides evidence that IL-12 may also be implicated in the selection of the immunoglobulin isotypes. We show that picomolar concentrations of rIL-12 markedly inhibit the synthesis of IgE by IL-4-stimulated PBMC. The suppression of IgE is observed at the protein and at the mRNA levels, it is isotype specific, and it is abolished by neutralizing anti-IL-12 mAbs. IL-12 may suppress IgE synthesis by: (a) inducing the production of IFN-gamma, a known inhibitor of IgE synthesis and (b) by a novel mechanism which is IFN-gamma independent. The best evidence for this is from studies on IgE synthesis by IL-4-plus hydrocortisone-stimulated umbilical cord blood lymphocytes, which do not produce detectable amounts of IFN-gamma. In such cultures, rIL-12 inhibits IgE synthesis even in the presence of a large excess of neutralizing anti-IFN-gamma mAb.

Cells, Cultured↗

Native and recombinant soluble CD23 fragments with IgE suppressive activity.

CD23-bearing cells are known to release 37,000 33,000 and 25,000 MW soluble CD23 (sCD23) fragments that were reported to display multiple biological activities, including the potentiation of IgE synthesis. We previously reported that tunicamycin treatment of RPMI-8866 cells switched the biological activity of the sCD23 released by these cells from IgE potentiation to IgE suppression. In this study we show that tunicamycin-treated cells release small CD23 fragments with a MW of 16,000. These fragments are formed by truncation of the N-terminal 160 amino acids and truncation of the carboxy-terminal end of CD23. Two observations indicate that the cleavage of surface CD23 into 16,000 MW fragments is not caused by tunicamycin-mediated inhibition of the N-glycosylation of CD23 but rather by the deletion of the carboxy terminal end of the molecule: (1) Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) transfectants expressing a CD23 mutant lacking the N-glycosylation site release 37,000-33,000 MW sCD23 unless they are treated with tunicamycin; (2) transfectants expressing a CD23 deletion mutant lacking the last 33 carboxy-terminal amino acids release 16,000 MW sCD23. Highly purified native and recombinant 16,000 MW sCD23 bind to IgE and down-regulate the ongoing and the interleukin-4 (IL-4)-stimulated synthesis of IgE.

Animals↗