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Biomedical subjects

M Howard

Publications and source records attributed to M Howard.

At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

The BCL1 B lymphoma responds to IL-4, IL-5, and GM-CSF.

Proliferation in vitro of the in vivo passaged murine B cell tumor line BCL1 has been used as a standard assay for mouse interleukin-5 (IL-5) for a number of years. We demonstrate that this line will also respond to human IL-5. The response to murine IL-5 is abrogated by transforming growth factor-beta and to a lesser extent by interferon-gamma. This suggests a possible regulatory role for these lymphokines in the proliferation of B cells induced by IL-5. Other purified recombinant lymphokines were also tested for their ability to induce BCL1 proliferation. The lymphokines IL-1, IL-2, IL-3, and IL-6 had no effect on the growth of BCL1. In contrast, IL-4 and more surprisingly granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) also induced proliferation of this cell. These effects could be inhibited by specific antibodies directed against the respective lymphokines. These data suggest that GM-CSF, as well as IL-4 and IL-5, may be yet another regulator of neoplastic and possibly even normal B-cell growth and differentiation.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Responses of B cells from autoimmune mice to IL-5.

Three strains of mice (NZB/W F1 X NZW (NZB/W), BXSB, and MRL/Mp-lpr/lpr (MRL/lpr] develop an autoimmune disease that is clinically and immunologically similar to human SLE. A characteristic of these mice is polyclonal B cell hyperactivity. To explore whether this may be related to hyper-responsiveness to B cell stimulatory factors, we investigated the proliferative and secretory responses of B cells from these mice to semi-purified natural and rIL-5, a major regulator of B cell development in the mouse. As this lymphokine stimulates growth and differentiation of activated B cells, attention was focused on in vivo-activated B cell populations, obtained from the interface of 50/65% Percoll density gradients, from normal or autoimmune mice. This cell population from NZB/W mice secreted IgM and incorporated [3H]TdR at significantly higher levels in response to IL-5, and was more sensitive to IL-5, than a comparable population from several normal murine strains. NZB/W female and male mice displayed heightened responses to IL-5, indicating that this is characteristic of the strain in general and is not associated with the accelerated severe disease of the females. Small resting B cells from NZB/W and normal mice were insensitive to IL-5 stimulation. In contrast to NZB/W mice, no difference was observed in the magnitude of either proliferative or Ig secretory responses between in vivo-activated B cell populations from autoimmune BXSB and MRL/lpr or normal mice. Thus, B cell hyper-responsiveness to IL-5 is a characteristic of NZB/W mice but not of two other lupus-prone murine strains. As one unique feature of NZB/W mouse B cells compared to normal and other autoimmune B cells is an elevated proportion of Ly-1+ B cells, the possibility of IL-5 hyper-responsiveness being associated with this B cell subpopulation was investigated. Fluorescence-activated cell sorter sorted Ly-1+ and Ly-1- B cells both responded to IL-5, however Ly-1+ B cells consistently showed a higher stimulation index in both proliferative and Ig secretory responses to this lymphokine.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Expression of markers of differentiation in a transformed human keratinocyte line induced by coculture with a fibroblast line.

SVK14, an SV40-transformed human keratinocyte line, has previously been reported to be almost completely unable to differentiate, and indeed, to express a set of keratins characteristic of simple epithelia rather than the stratifying epithelium from which they were derived. We have recently shown that IGF I stimulation of SVK14 results in expression of keratin 14, a marker of stratifying epithelia, as well as expression of markers which are characteristic of differentiation in normal human keratinocytes such as involucrin and keratin 10. To study further the capacity of SVK14 to differentiate, we have cocultured SVK14 with a variety of fibroblastic cell lines with a view to examining whether the cocultured partner can promote or interfere with their differentiation. We have observed that SVK14, when cocultured with Swiss 3T3, form organized structures through specific cell-cell interactions in which SVK14 express keratins 14 and 5 and involucrin, while maintaining T-antigen expression. These results are interesting since they show coculturing of a transformed human keratinocyte cell line and a particular fibroblast line can result in induction of characteristics of stratifying epithelia in a cell line with characteristics of simple epithelia. This may be analogous to the epithelial-mesenchymal interactions seen during epithelial development in the very early embryo.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Expression of lymphokine genes in splenic lymphocytes of autoimmune mice.

Lymphocytes of autoimmune mice have been reported to have defective IL-2 production and proliferation in response to the mitogen concanavalin A. We have examined transcription of lymphokine genes in Con A stimulated spleen cells from both autoimmune and normal mice and found that IL-2, IL-4 and gamma-interferon (IFN gamma) were induced in all mice tested. Spleen cells were taken from young (pre-disease) or old (clinically active) MRL/lpr (lpr) and male BXSB autoimmune mice and from their normal counterparts (MRL/n, BXSB females, BALB/c and DBA/2) and stimulated with Con A. Con A induced production of IL-2, IL-4 and IFN gamma message and protein, and kinetics of induction did not vary significantly among the strains. However, in old lpr mice, levels of IL-2 protein and mRNA were about 10-fold lower than in other strains; IL-4 protein and mRNA were decreased approximately three-fold; and IFN gamma mRNA was readily detected in unstimulated cells and low but detectable levels of protein were produced constitutively. In contrast, little or no defect in IL-2 or IL-4 transcription or secretion were seen in male BXSB mice and no constitutive IFN gamma transcription was seen in this strain. These data indicate that all three lymphokine genes are activated by Con A in autoimmune mice, even though Con A-induced proliferation is defective in these mice. Furthermore, autoimmune mouse strains vary in terms of lymphokine expression: male BXSB mice display a normal lymphokine profile, whereas lpr mice show a marked imbalance of lymphokines compared to normal controls.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Vesicular stomatitis virus RNA replication: a role for the NS protein.

Synthesis of the vesicular stomatitis virus nucleocapsid (N) protein is required for viral RNA replication. The observation that the N protein forms a rapidly sedimenting species in the absence of other viral proteins and the description of complexes of N protein with NS protein led to the proposal that NS protein binds to N protein to prevent it from self-associating. We tested this model by analysing the physical properties of N protein synthesized alone in an in vitro replication system as compared to N protein synthesized in the presence of the NS protein. These findings were correlated with the ability of the N protein, synthesized under both conditions, to support replication. N protein synthesized at low concentrations in the absence of other viral proteins sedimented at 4S on glycerol gradients and was capable of supporting RNA replication. In contrast, synthesis of increasing concentrations of N protein resulted in formation of a rapidly sedimenting species of N protein which had the physical properties of a protein-protein aggregate and which failed to support RNA replication. Co-synthesis of the NS protein with N protein both prevented the concentration-dependent aggregation of N and restored the ability of high concentrations of N protein to support RNA replication.

Capsid↗
PubMed1989

IGF I induces differentiation in a transformed human keratinocyte line.

A comparison of normal epithelial cells with their transformed counterparts could lead to the definition of parameters related to growth and differentiation which are altered by viral transformation and which may be relevant to malignant changes in vivo. Using the SV40-transformed human keratinocyte line, SVK14, which exhibits characteristics of simple, nonkeratinizing epithelia, we have shown that IGF I stimulation of these cells results in extensive multilayering, increased cell size, accumulation of involucrin, modulation of keratin 18 and expression of keratins 14 and 10, whilst T-antigen expression is maintained in the multilayered cells. Since T-antigen expression is correlated directly with impairment of stratification and differentiation, it is interesting that treatment of SVK14 with a single growth factor. IGF I, results in molecular events characteristic of differentiating normal keratinocytes.

Antigens, Viral, Tumor↗
PubMed1989

Rare occurrence of N-ras point mutations in Philadelphia chromosome positive chronic myeloid leukemia.

Point mutations of the N-ras oncogene are relatively common in acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) cells, occurring in some 25% to 50% of patient samples. We used a technique involving the direct nucleotide sequencing of in vitro amplified N-ras genomic fragments to determine the frequency of N-ras point mutations in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) cells at various stages of the disease. This approach will detect N-ras point mutations in a mixed population of cells if the mutation is present in 25% or more of the cells. We could not demonstrate any point mutation at N-ras codons 12,13 or 59-63 in any of the 44 CML cases analyzed, which included 21 blast crisis samples. In contrast with AML N-ras point mutations are exceedingly rare in CML.

Gene Rearrangement↗
PubMed1989

Constitutive production of lymphokines by cloned murine B-cell lymphomas--CH12 B lymphoma produces interleukin-4.

B cells can be activated by T-independent antigens or mitogens such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS) which will induce proliferation and differentiation of the B cells into Ig-secreting cells, without the intervention of T cells. The precise mechanism of T-independent proliferation and differentiation of B cells is still unclear. It is possible however that antigen-stimulated B cells may produce some factors which play a role in T-independent B-cell responses. In addition, since it has now been established that B cells can function as antigen-presenting cells, it is possible that they too secrete a molecule which is involved in the activation of T cells, analogous to IL-1 production by antigen-presenting macrophages. A number of human B-cell lines, as well as human normal B cells activated appropriately, have been shown to produce various cytokines, and similar studies are now being undertaken in the mouse. In the present study, six cloned murine B-cell lymphomas of different origin were analyzed for the presence of mRNA encoding a number of lymphokines by hybridization of specific cDNA probes to poly-A RNA, followed by the sensitive S1 nuclease digestion technique. The lymphokines included (IL-) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and neuroleukin. Whereas none of the lines expressed detectable levels of IL-2, IL-3, or IL-5 mRNA, all the lines expressed high levels of neuroleukin mRNA. Three of the lymphomas (CH12, CH31, and NBL) expressed low levels of IL-1 mRNA. The most striking finding was that one lymphoma, CH12, constitutively expressed IL-4 mRNA. This mRNA appeared to be functional, as IL-4 activity measured by the HT-2 T cell proliferation assay could be detected in supernatants collected from CH12 cells. The growth-inducing activity of CH12 supernatant on HT-2 cells could be completely blocked by an anti-IL-4 monoclonal (11B11), but not by an anti-IL-2 antibody (S4B6), consistent with our observations that CH12 cells produce IL-4 but not IL-2. CH12 cells were also found to express high affinity receptors for IL-4. Proliferation of CH12 cells was not affected by the addition of exogenous IL-4. Addition of anti-IL-4 antibodies to CH12 cells in culture caused a slight but reproducible increase in their proliferation at low cell numbers, which is probably not highly significant. These findings open the possibilities that murine B lymphocytes are capable of lymphokine production or alternatively that aberrant lymphokine production underlies B-lymphocyte transformation.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Expression of the beta-subunit of the human leukocyte adherence receptor depends upon cell type and stage of differentiation.

Using a cDNA clone for the beta-subunit of the receptor on human leukocytes that mediates cellular adherence (CD18), we investigated the lineage specificity of beta-subunit mRNA expression in human hematopoietic cells. Relatively high levels of the beta-subunit mRNA transcript were detected in mature peripheral blood leukocytes, including granulocytes and both resting and PHA-activated T lymphocytes. In contrast, relatively low levels of this transcript were observed in EBV-transformed B cells, in the immature Jurkat T cell line, and in chronic myelogenous leukemia myeloblasts and lymphoblasts. The beta-transcript was undetectable in the K562 chronic myelogenous leukemia blast crisis cell line with erythroblastic characteristics and in cultured skin fibroblasts. Two acute myeloid leukemia samples displayed unusually high levels of this transcript, comparable to levels observed in mature PBL. beta-subunit mRNA expression appeared to be primarily confined to leukocytes. In all cells examined the levels of surface beta-Ag expression paralleled levels of beta-mRNA.

Antigens, Surface↗
PubMed1988

Identification of IL-6 as a T cell-derived factor that enhances the proliferative response of thymocytes to IL-4 and phorbol myristate acetate.

Thymocytes undergo a vigorous proliferative response when stimulated with a combination of IL-4 and PMA. We have found that conA-induced supernatants from a number of Th cell clones could enhance the level of IL-4/PMA-induced proliferation of unseparated thymocytes 0.5- to 2-fold and of peanut agglutinin-positive thymocytes 2- to 10-fold. These supernatants did not contain IL-2 or IFN-gamma, and the enhancing activity could be chromatographically separated from IL-3, -4, -5, and granulocyte/macrophage CSF. The possibility that the thymocyte enhancement factor contained in these supernatants was IL-6 was suggested when murine rIL-6 was found to have similar activity. Further evidence for the identity of these two factors was obtained when an IL-6 assay, based on plasmacytoma growth, was used to test column fractions showing thymocyte enhancement. All fractions active in the thymocyte enhancement assay also had activity in the plasmacytoma growth assay. These observations suggest that the thymocyte-stimulating activity present in the T cell supernatants was due to IL-6.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗
PubMed1988

Expression of high affinity receptors for murine interleukin 4 (BSF-1) on hemopoietic and nonhemopoietic cells.

In this report a method for the affinity purification and radiolabeling of recombinant mouse interleukin (IL)-4 is described. It is shown on the basis of several criteria that IL-4 retains full biologic activity after radioiodination and can therefore be used as a valid model for measuring the binding characteristics of native IL-4. By using Scatchard plot analysis of equilibrium binding data, it is demonstrated that 125I-IL-4 binds to a high affinity cell surface receptor which is expressed by both hemopoietic and nonhemopoietic cells. The dissociation constant for 125I-IL-4 (Kd = 20 to 60 pM) corresponds to the concentration of IL-4 which gives 50% biologic activity (i.e., 10 to 30 pM). Binding of 125I-IL-4 is rapid (t1/2 of 2 min), whereas dissociation occurs at a slow rate (t1/2 approximately 4 hr). The IL-4 receptor shows a high degree of specificity. Whereas unlabeled mouse IL-4 competed with mouse 125I-IL-4 in an equimolar fashion for binding to IL-4 receptors, several other lymphokines, including mouse IL-2, IL-3, interferon-gamma, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, and human IL-1, IL-2, and IL-4 were unable to inhibit, even at molar excesses of 400 to 800-fold. At 37 degrees C, 125I-IL-4 is rapidly internalized (approximately 200 molecules/cell/min) by HT-2 cells, with at least 85% of cell surface receptors being functional in this respect. Receptors for IL-4 were found to be expressed by subclasses of T and B cells, mast cells, macrophages, and by cells of the myeloid and erythroid lineages. This wide distribution of receptor expression closely matches the known spectrum of biologic activities of IL-4, including proliferation and/or differentiation of T and B cells, mast cells and granulocytes, and induction of macrophage antigen-presenting capacity. IL-4 receptors were also found on a variety of nonhemopoietic cells such as cloned stromal cell lines from the bone marrow, spleen, thymus, and brain, and on muscle, brain, melanoma, fibroblast, and liver cells. Indeed, only 5 of more than 90 cell types tested have undetectable numbers of IL-4 receptors. The biologic effects of IL-4 on nonhemopoietic cells have not yet been reported and await elucidation.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Up-regulation of interleukin 4 receptor expression on immature (Lyt-2-/L3T4-) thymocytes.

In this report, the effect of interleukin 4 (IL-4) on the growth and differentiation of Lyt-2-/L3T4-(2-4-) thymocytes was investigated. It was found that these thymocytes proliferated extensively when cultured in the presence of IL-4 + phorbol myristate acetate without apparent differentiation to Lyt-2+ or L3T4+ cells. We also demonstrated that 2-4- thymocytes constitutively express a high affinity (dissociation constant of 20 to 40 pM) receptor for IL-4. Freshly isolated 2-4- thymocytes expressed on average about 100 IL-4 receptors per cell, but the number of receptors increased approximately 8-fold within 3 days after activation by IL-4 + phorbol myristate acetate. These findings suggest that IL-4 may play an important role in T cell ontogeny by promoting self-renewal of stem cells within the thymus.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Cardiopulmonary responses after spontaneous inhalation of Douglas fir smoke in goats.

In the majority of clinical cases, smoke inhalation results in a self-limited lung injury mostly confined to the airways. In this study, an animal model of inhalation injury was developed that reflected similar pathophysiology. Cardiopulmonary parameters were studied in awake, instrumented goats following spontaneous inhalation of characterized Douglas fir smoke. Peak carboxyhemoglobin levels averaged 37% during a mean exposure time of 33 minutes. All animals survived the 24-hour study period, and showed only transient abnormalities in lung fluid balance and gas exchange, with no change in lung mechanics or plasma eicosanoid (TxB2 and 6-keto-PGF1 alpha) levels. However, extravascular lung water at 24 hours was increased 33%, suggesting the presence of some airway edema and retained secretions. We feel this model fairly represents the majority of clinical smoke inhalation cases. This model is compared to other large animal inhalation injury models producing more severe lung injury.

6-Ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha↗
PubMed1987

Requirement for BSF-1 in the induction of antigen-specific B cell proliferation by a thymus-dependent antigen and carrier-reactive T cell line.

We report here a role of B cell stimulatory factor 1 (BSF-1) in the induction of antigen-specific proliferation of affinity-purified small B lymphocytes by a thymus-dependent antigen and a carrier-reactive T cell line. By using an ovalbumin-reactive T cell line (designated Hen-1), which does not produce BSF-1 following activation, it was possible to demonstrate that the antigen-specific proliferative response of trinitrophenyl (TNP)-binding B cells to TNP-ovalbumin required exogenous BSF-1 in addition to direct interaction with irradiated Hen-1 T cells. The activation obtained under these conditions was highly efficient, being sensitive to antigen doses as low as 0.001 microgram/ml. The addition of saturating amounts of BSF-1 did not alter the antigen-specificity or the requirements for hapten-carrier linkage or major histocompatibility complex-restricted T-B interaction in this system. The involvement of BSF-1 was confirmed by the ability of 11B11 anti-BSF-1 antibody to specifically suppress the response of TNP-binding B cells to TNP-ovalbumin, BSF-1, and irradiated Hen-1 T cells. Finally, this response was augmented by addition of the monokine interleukin 1. These data indicate that the proliferative response of small B cells to the thymus-dependent antigen and carrier-reactive T cell line used in our experiments can be regulated by the same factors that govern B cell proliferation induced by thymus-independent type 2 antigens or anti-IgM antibodies.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Activity of a partially purified human BCGF on murine assays for B cell stimulatory factors. II. Synergy between two distinct BCGF II-like factors in promoting B cell differentiation.

We have previously identified two BCGF II-like factors which can be distinguished by their differential reactivity in several murine BCGF II assays. Prototype sources of these two factors are a partially purified preparation derived from PHA-P-stimulated human peripheral blood T lymphocytes (designated human BCGF), and supernatant from antigen-stimulated D10.G4.1 murine T cells (designated D10 sup). Extending the characterization of these two factors, we show here that human BCGF and D10 sup both cause tritiated thymidine ([3H]TdR) incorporation and IgM secretion by T cell-depleted, in vivo-activated, large murine B cells. In contrast, only the human BCGF consistently induced proliferation and IgM secretion by T cell-depleted, small murine B cells. When simultaneously added to cultures, D10 sup and human BCGF synergized to produce optimal IgM secretion by large murine B cells and murine BCL1 B lymphoma cells. The same factors were tested in an IgM-specific plaque assay, and a similar synergistic response was observed for the large B cells, but not for the BCL1 cells. The combination of factors also produced maximal [3H]TdR incorporation by large murine B cells. In contrast, the addition of human BCGF totally abrogated D10 sup-induced BCL1 proliferation. Together, these data suggest that the synergies observed in IgM secretion result from an increased production of plaque-forming cells (PFC) in cultures of large B cells and an increase in IgM production per responding cell in BCL1 cells. Kinetic analysis of the time of action of the two BCGF II-like lymphokines in the induction of the PFC response by large B cells indicated that human BCGF was required within the first 24 hr of a 4-day culture period, while D10 sup could be added as late as the final 15 hr without significant diminution of the response. In summary, these data provide further support for the existence of two distinct B cell stimulatory factors which cause growth and differentiation of activated B cells, and indicate that these two factors synergize to produce optimal Ig secretion. For ease of discussion, the activity in the human BCGF preparation is referred to as BCGF IIA, and the activity in D10 sup is referred to as BCGF IIB.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Activity of a partially purified human BCGF on murine assays for B-cell stimulatory factors. I. BCGF II-like activity of human BCGF.

To further characterize a human B-cell growth factor (BCGF) produced by phytohemagglutinin (PHA) P-stimulated peripheral blood T cells, a partially purified preparation of this material was tested in a number of murine assays for B-cell stimulatory factors (BSF). Human BCGF lacked murine BSF-1 activity as assessed via the induction of polyclonal proliferation of anti-IgM-stimulated murine B cells; however, this material consistently augmented the proliferative response of murine B cells to anti-IgM and a saturating dose of murine BSF-1. Human BCGF also induced proliferation in unstimulated murine B cells, and augmented the proliferative response of dextran sulfate activated murine B cells. Human BCGF is therefore capable of causing proliferation of unstimulated and activated murine B cells, and by these criteria closely resembles murine BCGF II. In contrast to murine BCGF II, however, human BCGF failed to stimulate proliferation or immunoglobulin (Ig) secretion by murine BCL1 B lymphoma cells. A murine analog of this human BCGF showing the same pattern of biological responses was found in concanavalin A-stimulated supernatants of the murine MB2.1 T-cell line and D9-Cl T-cell hybridoma. The active component of the human BCGF preparation was not due to contaminating PHA, interleukin 1, interleukin 2; interferon-gamma, or endotoxin. Comparison between the above human BCGF and a commonly used source of murine BCGF II, i.e., supernatant from antigen-stimulated D10.G4.1 T cells, provided information suggestive of BCGF II heterogeneity. Both human BCGF and D10.G4.1 supernatant caused proliferation of unstimulated and dextran sulfate-stimulated murine B cells; however, only the human BCGF preparation augmented the proliferative response of murine B cells to anti-IgM and a saturating dose of murine BSF-1, and only the D10.G4.1 supernatant stimulated BCL1 cell proliferation and immunoglobulin secretion. The data therefore indicate that the different assays for BCGF II used in this study respond to different factors, and suggest the existence of two BCGF II-like activities.

Animals↗