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H Spits

Publications and source records attributed to H Spits.

175 records · Page 10Linked to original sources

Expression of the major histocompatibility antigens HLA-A2 and HLA-B7 by DNA-mediated gene transfer.

Genes coding for the heavy chain of the class I antigens HLA-A2 or HLA-B7 of the human major histocompatibility complex have been introduced into mouse LtK- cells by cotransfection with the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase gene. HAT-resistant colonies were isolated expressing either HLA-A2 or HLA-B7 as monitored by indirect immunofluorescence. Immunoprecipitation analysis of both antigens by either sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) or isoelectric focusing (IEF) showed that they were identical to the HLA-A2 and HLA-B7 expressed in the human lymphoblastoid cell line JY (homozygous HLA-A2, HLA-B7). However, human cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) generated against JY and CTL clones specific for HLA-A2 or HLA-B7 were unable to recognize the transfectants as targets. These results indicate that the human HLA-A2 (or B7) complexed with the murine beta 2-microglobulin could be an inappropriate target structure for the CTL. However, because the transfectants are not killed by human CTL even in the presence of lectins, it is suggested that other molecules that are not able to overcome the human-mouse species barrier may be involved in the killing mechanism.

Animals↗

Induction of phenotypic differentiation, interleukin 2 production, and PHA responsiveness of "immature" human thymocytes by interleukin 1 and phorbol ester.

Small human thymocytes (ST) representing 70% of the thymocytes were isolated according to size by centrifugal elutriation. Although these ST contained approximately 30% PNA-cells, they failed to respond to lectins, indicating the existence of a PNA-ST subset that can be considered to belong to the "immature" thymocyte population. The ST were induced to proliferate if, in addition to PHA, IL 1-containing supernatants of highly purified monocyte cultures or 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA) were present. The incubation of the ST for 90 hr with TPA or IL 1 in the absence of PHA resulted in a strong reduction in the percentage of cells reacting with the immature thymocyte markers TdT and PNA. In addition, the OKT6+ cells were partially reduced after incubation with IL 1. Concomitantly, an increase in the percentage of cells reacting with the mature T cell markers OKT1 and OKT3 was observed, whereas HLA antigens became strongly expressed on all ST. Although IL 1 or TPA were unable to induce proliferation of the ST, these substances induced IL 2 production by these cells. These shifts to cells with more "mature" phenotypes that are able to produce IL 2 were not observed if the ST were incubated with PHA or culture medium only. The responder capacity of the ST to PHA plus TPA was not significantly affected by the depletion of the more "mature" OKT3+ and OKT1+ cells. In addition, in this situation OKT1+, OKT3+, OKT6- cells were found to be generated from OKT1-, OKT3-, OKT6+ cells. Therefore, it could be excluded that the proliferative responses were due to a selective expansion of a preexisting mature T cell population. Our results indicate that TPA mimics IL 1 in the induction of differentiation of the ST to a stage in which subpopulations of these cells are able to produce IL 2 and to respond to PHA. Because only the proliferating ST were found to react with a monoclonal antibody, which is thought to be directed at the IL 2 receptor (anti-Tac), our data suggest that PHA is required for the induction of expression of receptors for IL 2 in those ST subpopulations that are able to proliferate in the presence of IL 2 generated in situ.

Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte↗

In vitro-isolated human cytotoxic T-lymphocyte clones detect variations in serologically defined HLA antigens.

T cells of two donors, JR (HLA-A23,29;B7,7;C-;DRw5) and HG (HLA-A2,23;B40,w44;Cw4), were stimulated with cells from an HLA homozygous lymphoblastoid cell line JY (HLA-A2,2;B7,7,C-,DRw4,6) and cloned by limiting dilution after the third stimulation. Two cytotoxic T-cell (CTL) clones, JR-2-16 (from donor JR) and HG-31 (from donor HG), were used for detailed studies. The results of a panel study using lymphocytes from HLA-typed individuals and a study with two HLA recombinant families indicate that the antigens recognized by the CTL clones JR-2-16 and HG-31 were highly associated with HLA-A2 and HLA-B7, respectively. Blocking studies with a monoclonal antibody recognizing a framework determinant on HLA-A, -B and -C antigens and a monoclonal antibody reacting with HLA-A2 support the notion that JR-2-16 and HG-31 interact with the HLA-A2 and the HLA-B7 antigens per se. However, these clones did not recognize the HLA-A2 and HLA-B7 of all donors typed for these antigens, suggesting that the HLA-A2 and HLA-B7 antigens of these particular donors are variants of the serologically defined HLA antigens. These results indicate that in vitro-derived human CTL clones detect variations in the serologically defined allospecificities and can be used as reagents to elucidate the polymorphism of HLA antigens further.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Isolation of human thymocytes differing in maturation state and function by centrifugal elutriation.

A modified centrifugal elutriation technique was used to separate (up to 3 X 10(9)) human thymocytes, according to size in 6 different fractions. Eighty percent of the unfractionated thymocytes were recovered in fractions 1 and 2. The majority of these thymocytes appeared to be small and phenotypically immature as was determined by the high percentage of cells reacting with the monoclonal antibodies OKT-6, Mas-036 and peanut agglutinin. In addition, a relatively low percentage of the cells reacted with a monoclonal antibody directed against HLA-A, B and C determinants (Mas-015). The immaturity of these thymocytes was confirmed by their failure to respond to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and their negligible responder capacity in mixed leukocyte cultures. Fractions 3-6, representing 20% of the unfractionated thymocytes, were collected arbitrarily and contained thymocytes of various maturation stages as judged by their phenotype. The PHA responsiveness and responder capacity in mixed leukocyte cultures of the thymocytes in these fractions were, in general, considerably higher than those of the unfractionated thymocytes. Our data indicate that centrifugal elutriation is a fast and reproducible method to separate large quantities of functionally inactive and phenotypically immature thymocytes from the more mature and functionally active thymocytes.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

The cell-mediated lympholysis-inducing capacity of highly purified human monocytes and T lymphocytes in primary and secondary mixed leukocyte cultures.

In this study the capacity of T cells and monocytes to induce cell-mediated lympholysis (CML) in primary and secondary MLC was investigated. The T lymphocytes were enriched by rosetting with sheep red blood cells (E) and further purified by sedimentation at unit gravity, which completely removed the contaminating monocytes. In addition, a highly purified monocyte population was obtained by 1 X G sedimentation of the non-E rosette-forming cells. These purified T cells have a poor CML-inducing capacity in primary and secondary MLC. In contrast, monocytes were very effective in inducing CML in both primary and secondary MLC. Induction of CML by monocytes in primary MLC was inhibited by heterologous anti-Ia-like antisera, indicating that the induction of CML by monocytes was related to the presence of HLA-DR (Ia-like) antigens on these cells.

Cell Separation↗

Particle-bound enzymes in the bloodstream form of Trypanosoma brucei.

We have screened the bloodstream form of Trypanosoma brucei for the presence of enzymes that could serve as markers for the microbodies and the highly repressed mitochondrion of this organism. None of seven known microbody enzymes were detected at all, but glycerol-3-phosphate oxidase, ATPase, isocitrate dehydrogenase, acid phosphatase and part of the hyperoxide dismutase and malate dehydrogenase activities were found to be particle-bound after fractionation of homogenates by differential centrifugation. Part of the ATPase activity was sensitive to oligomycin, an inhibitor of oxidative phosphorylation. This oligomycin-sensitive activity can serve as a specific marker for the mitochondria. More than 80% of the NAD+-linked glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase in T. brucei was found to be particulate and latent. The enzyme could be activated by Triton X-100, by the combined action of sonication and salt, but not by salt alone, and partially by freezing and thawing. We conclude that the NAD+-linked glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase is located inside an organelle.

Acid Phosphatase↗

Use of bicistronic retroviral vectors encoding the LacZ gene together with a gene of interest: a method to select producer cells and follow transduced target cells.

The coordinate expression of a marker gene and a therapeutic gene in one retroviral vector has considerable advantages. High-titer producer lines can potentially be selected on the basis of marker gene expression, and the expression of transduced genes in target cells can readily be followed. Moreover, target cells with stable high expression can be selected before use in therapeutic protocols or research questions. We used internal ribosomal entry site (IRES) sequences to express two genes in the same retroviral vector. We used the LacZ gene as the marker gene and the cytokine interleukin (IL)-7 or dominant negative (dn) forms of the T-cell tyrosine kinases ZAP-70 and lck as genes of interest. Amphotropic packaging cells transfected with MFG-IL-7-IRES-LacZ, MFG-dnZAP-70-IRES-LacZ, or MFG-dnlck-IRES-LacZ were sorted on the basis of beta-galactosidase expression. These LacZ-positive producer cells also expressed the gene of interest, produced high-titer retrovirus, and were capable of efficiently transducing Jurkat T cells and T-cell clones. When MFG-IL-7-IRES-LacZ-transduced Jurkat T cells were sorted on the basis of LacZ expression, a positive correlation with the amount of IL-7 produced by these cells was found. This demonstrates that selection of the LacZ marker gene also selects for cells that express the gene of interest at high levels. Moreover, T cells transduced with the dn tyrosine kinases and selected on the basis of LacZ expression showed functional alterations after T-cell receptor stimulation, demonstrating that retrovirally transduced signaling molecules can alter the function of T cells.

DNA Primers↗