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Biomedical subjects

M K Hoffmann

Publications and source records attributed to M K Hoffmann.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1988

Bidirectionality of mixed lymphocyte stimulation (Mls) response. Effects of Mlsb stimulator cells on Mlsa helper cells.

The activation of BALB/c lymphocytes in the mixed lymphocyte reaction to Mls-disparate APC has been shown to encompass up to 20% of the mature resting helper T lymphocyte population. In addition to these overtly Mls-responsive cells, our studies have revealed a second population that respond to the Mls difference of DBA/2 spleen cells in conjunction with the mitogen Con A. This part of the Mls response is therefore latent. As mitogen and Mls-stimulating effect act in synergy, it is likely that both stimuli act on the same cell, and hence the Mls effect can be regarded as a regulatory interaction between APC and Th cell. By use of congenic BALB.Mlsa mice, the regulatory effect has been mapped to the Mls locus. The regulatory influence has also been demonstrated in DBA/2 Th cells (Mlsa) stimulated simultaneously with mitogen and Mls-disparate (Mlsb) APC, consistently causing inhibition of mitogen-induced proliferation in this reverse Mls direction. This antagonistic effect has also been linked to the Mls locus. We conclude that the Mls reaction governed by the a and b alleles is bidirectional, producing synergy with class II-dependent activation signals in the direction of Mlsa----Mlsb, and antagonism in the direction Mlsb----Mlsa. Both the classical Mls and the reverse Mls effects have been demonstrated at the clonal level. These results are in accord with the previously proposed hypothesis that the Mls molecule serves as a down-regulatory stimulus in the activation of Th cells. Mls responses of Mlsb T cells are explained as the consequence of a diminished down-regulation by Mlsa APC. Conversely, the reverse Mls response described here can be considered a consequence of inordinately high down-regulation of the Mlsa T cell responses by Mlsb APC.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

The requirement for high intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate concentrations distinguishes two pathways of B cell activation induced with lymphokines and antibody to immunoglobulin.

Mouse B lymphocytes proliferate when stimulated with anti-IgM and the lymphokines B cell-stimulating factor-1 (BSF-1) interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-1. We show herein that two anti-IgM-stimulated B cell responses can be distinguished by their sensitivity to cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP). cAMP inhibits B cell proliferation facilitated by BSF-1 and enhances the B cell response facilitated by IL-1. IL-1 and BSF-1-dependent B cell responses are additive, suggesting that distinct B cell subpopulations are involved. BSF-1-reactive B cells are not inhibited by cAMP in the presence of IL-1. This suggests that IL-1 determines whether cAMP, which has elsewhere been shown to cause nuclear translocation of protein kinase C in resting B cells, inhibits or enhances B cell responses. Comparative studies suggest that the IgM response of spleen cells to red cell-bound antigen involves one of the two pathways described, namely the one that involves IL-1 and cAMP. BSF-1 has no noticeable effect on a Mishell-Dutton plaque-forming cell response. In view of literature on the facilitation by BSF-1 of the IgG response, we consider the possibility that IL-1 functions to stir B cells into an IgM response, whereas BSF-1 acts on B cells that are poised to become IgG producers.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Antibodies to the common leukocyte antigen (T200) inhibit an early phase in the activation of resting human B cells.

T191, a monoclonal antibody reactive with the T200 common leukocyte antigen, profoundly inhibits an early event(s) associated with alpha-immunoglobulin M (alpha IgM)/T cell replacing factor (TRF) or alpha IgM/recombinant interleukin 1 and 2 (rIL 1 and rIL 2)-induced tonsillar B cell proliferation. Kinetic analysis of T191-mediated inhibition indicated that the antibody exerts its effect within 12 to 24 hr of the initiation of cultures and rapidly loses its activity thereafter. Small resting B cells are most sensitive to T191 inhibition, whereas B cells with increasing buoyant density (presumably reflecting stages of increased activation) become progressively T191 insensitive. Analysis of RNA synthesis subsequent to alpha IgM crosslinking of surface immunoglobulin demonstrated that T191 reduced [3H]uridine incorporation by up to 38% during the first 20 hr of culture. In contrast to the effects seen with alpha IgM stimulated B cells, T191 had no inhibitory effect upon phorbol myristate acetate-induced B cell proliferation. The inhibitory effect upon B cell proliferation observed with T191 is not unique among other alpha-T200 antibodies. Four of five previously described alpha-T200 monoclonal antibodies had similar inhibitory effects (82 to 57% maximum inhibition of [3H]thymidine incorporation). However, 13.3, an alpha-T200 monoclonal antibody previously shown to block natural killer (NK) cell-mediated killing was without effect. Likewise, those antibodies capable of inhibiting B cell proliferation failed to block NK-mediated cytolysis. Antibody binding experiments together with proliferation inhibition studies suggest that all of the monoclonal antibodies tested recognized distinct epitopes on the T200 antigen. Both observations are of significance because they demonstrate that the effects seen with anti-T200 antibodies represent an interference with highly specific functional regions on the T200 molecules.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Purification and biochemical characterization of a human autocrine growth factor produced by Epstein-Barr virus-transformed B cells.

Autocrine growth factor for Epstein-Barr virus-transformed human B cells (aBGF), a protein that is constitutively produced by the human EBV-transformed B cell line 5/2, has been purified from serum-free conditioned medium. The purification involved sequential ammonium sulfate precipitation, ion exchange chromatography, gel filtration, and reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography. The purified protein has a m.w. of 16,000 in NaDodSO4/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and an isoelectric point between 7.0 and 8.0. The relative molecular mass 16,000 form exists in equilibrium with dimeric and tetrameric forms. aBGF supports the growth of EBV-transformed B cells, which have been deprived of their own conditioned medium. The purified aBGF is fully effective at 0.5 ng/ml and has no interleukin 1 activity in the lymphocyte activation factor assay. Because several randomly selected lines of EBV-transformed cells and one EBV-negative lymphoma cell line both produce aBGF activity and show growth dependency on aBGF and because stimulation of normal B cells with anti-immunoglobulin M is increased by aBGF, we propose that aBGF has general significance for growth control of human B cells.

B-Lymphocytes↗
PubMed1987

Combination immunotherapy of cancer in a mouse model: synergism between tumor necrosis factor and other defense systems.

Bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induces the release of factors into the serum which enable mice to reject experimental tumors. One such factor is tumor necrosis factor which causes acute necrosis of syngeneic sarcoma transplants in mice. Effective therapeutic use of tumor necrosis factor is limited, however, by its toxicity. We show here that the efficacy of tumor necrosis factor can be substantially increased by combining its application with low doses of LPS. Our data suggest that LPS exerts its antitumor effects by engaging more than one defense mechanism. Characteristic for the activation of a biological system is a concomitant induction of negative feedback mechanisms which antagonize the initial stimulus. Interference with the negative feedback response may substantially increase biological reactions. We show here that the blocking of two negative feedback responses occurring as a consequence of treatment with LPS, namely the production of prostaglandin E and the generation of suppressor T-lymphocytes, increases dramatically the ability of mice to reject tumor transplants. Thus, through appropriate combination of different factors one may reduce the dose of each below toxic levels and through interference with negative feedback responses increase the efficacy of antitumor reagents. We consider our findings in the context of formulating an effective immunotherapy of malignancies and as a promising step toward it.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

An alternate B cell activation mechanism mediated by macrophages through the release of cyclo-oxygenase pathway products and interleukin 1.

The lymphokines Interleukin 1 and 2 play essential roles in the generation of antibody to artificial and natural red cell bound antigens. Critical for the appropriate function of these lymphokines is the concentration of cAMP in responding B lymphocytes. Antigen-reactive B cells mount a strong immune response in the presence of IL-1 and IL-2 when their cAMP is high, but become unresponsive when their cAMP is low. We show here that reagents which raise cAMP concentrations (Prostaglandin E, cholera toxin, forskolin) synergize strongly with IL-1 and IL-2 in the generation of antibody. We searched for physiological signals which synergize with IL-1 and IL-2 in a similar fashion and found that peritoneal macrophages facilitate strong antibody production by B cells. This helper effect is blocked by indomethacin, suggesting that it is mediated by the cyclo-oxygenase pathway and prostaglandin. Helper T cells can also complement IL-1 and IL-2 in stimulating B cells to produce antibody. This effect is not blocked by indomethacin.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Intracellular cAMP regulates the cytotoxicity of recombinant tumor necrosis factor for L cells in vitro.

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) destroys certain tumor cells in vitro. Using the classical TNF-sensitive cell line L929 and its resistant derivative, we show here that the sensitivity of cells to TNF depends in large measure on the intracellular cAMP concentration. An experimental increase of the intra-cellular cAMP concentration can substantially enhance the sensitivity of L-cells to TNF. This increase in TNF sensitivity is seen only in TNF-sensitive cells but not in TNF-resistant cells. An increase in intracellular cAMP levels has been obtained by adding cell permeable dibutyryl cAMP to the culture medium or by culturing L929 cells in the presence of reagents which cause the elevation of intracellular cAMP concentrations.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

An essential role for interleukin 1 and a dual function for interleukin 2 in the immune response of murine B lymphocytes to sheep erythrocytes.

The macrophage-derived lymphokine interleukin 1 (IL-1) and the T cell-derived lymphokine interleukin 2 (IL-2) help B lymphocytes to generate antibodies against sheep erythrocytes in vitro. It has been difficult to determine whether these factors act on antigen-reactive B cells directly or via accessory cells, since it is not technically feasible to prepare completely homogenous cell populations. Therefore we examined the question of lymphokine action on B cells using an indirect approach. First we determined effects of the two factors in the phenotypic differentiation assay, a short-term culture of cloned B cells certainly free of accessory cells. Next, we investigated whether the effects seen in this assay could be related to results obtained in the long-term (four-day) assay of antibody production. Interleukin 1 induced cloned 70Z/3 B lymphocytes to express new cell surface markers in the phenotypic B cell differentiation assay. IL-2 rendered these B cells refractory to differentiation caused by IL-1. In the antibody production assay, IL-1 controlled, as was shown previously, an early phase of the response in which B cells become responsive to T cell-derived helper factors. In order to demonstrate the requirement for IL-1, it was necessary to rigorously prevent endogenous IL-1 production. Synergy between IL-1 and IL-2 was observed when IL-2 was given as late as day 2 of a four-day culture period. This synergy was seen over a broad dose range of IL-2 (10-1,000 U/ml). However, IL-2, when added in high concentrations (200-1,000 U/ml) during the early (IL-1-dependent) phase of the B cell response inhibited antibody production.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Antigen-specific and polyclonal B-cell responses in patients with acquired immunodeficiency disease syndrome.

Patients with acquired immunodeficiency disease syndrome (AIDS) show a complex spectrum of immunological abnormalities. We have examined B-lymphocyte function in 58 patients with AIDS and Kaposi's sarcoma. The major finding has been that the specific antibody response to sheep red blood cell antigen in vitro is severely depressed. Analysis of the defect in specific antibody production indicates that it is not caused by lack of T-cell help or excessive T-cell suppression, and suggests that it reflects an abnormality of the B-cell compartment itself. The defect does not affect the ability of B cells to respond to polyclonal stimulation. The possibility is considered that continuous hyperactivation of B cells in AIDS patients (as reflected in the increase in both immunoglobulin-secreting cells and serum immunoglobulin levels) results in depletion of the pool from which precursors for antigen specific B-cell responses are normally recruited.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1986

Reconstitution of in vitro humoral immune function in bone marrow transplant recipients.

The process by which humoral immune function is re-established following bone marrow transplantation was investigated in 50 transplant recipients. The recovery of in vitro-specific antibody production directed at sheep red blood cells was found to proceed through three phases. B cell function and helper T cell function were undetectable in the first phase (encompassing the first 5 months after transplantation), in which only suppressor cells reached functional maturity. Suppressor cells controlled responsiveness in the second phase (encompassing the period 5 to 15 months postgrafting). During this period, B cells and helper T cells became fully responsive; their activity became measurable, however, only after removal of Sephadex G-10-adherent suppressor cells. Normal responsiveness (associated with the loss of excessive suppressor cell activity) was characteristic of the third phase (over 15 months posttransplantation). Particular attention was paid to the role of suppressor cells in the recovery of humoral immune function. Their activity was positively correlated with graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), particularly of the chronic type. Suppressor cell activity in the early posttransplant period was predominantly mediated by OKT8-positive T lymphocytes, whereas suppressor cell activity in chronic GVHD patients was predominantly mediated by peripheral blood mononuclear cells that were retained on Sephadex G-10 columns, but did not express OKT8 antigen.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1986

Conditional requirement for accessory cells in the response of T cells to Con A.

The response to Concanavalin A (Con A) of unseparated lymph node cells and of T cells isolated from them has been studied over a mitogen dose range of 0.2 microgram to 16 micrograms/ml. Accessory cell depleted T cells respond only to high doses of Con A and then only weakly. The magnitude (proliferative activity) of the response as well as the sensitivity to the mitogen can be modified by accessory cells (AC), lymphokines and by chemical modification of cell surface glycoproteins. Accessory cell function can be inhibited by antibodies directed against cell surface molecules on accessory cells (Ia) or on T cells (L3T4). Changes in the mitogen sensitivity of the response are not necessarily associated with changes in the magnitude of the response. The mitogen sensitivity can be decreased with anti-Ia antibody and can be increased by treatment with IL-l and/or interferon gamma (IFN-). We postulate that the increase in sensitivity to Con A is a function of the density of cell surface molecules with which T and AC cells interact. The magnitude of the response is primarily determined by the frequency of AC in culture; it decreases as the number of AC is reduced and increases as AC are added to the cultures. Mitogen sensitivity is a new tool for the analysis of nonspecific T cell activation. Our data bring the accessory cell requirement for mitogen activation of T cells into a new perspective: AC--or factors produced by them--are essential when low (1-2 micrograms/ml Con A) doses are used and are less or not at all necessary when high doses (6-10 micrograms/ml) of mitogen are applied.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Defective development of the thymus and immunological abnormalities in the neurological mouse mutation "staggerer".

The autosomal recessive mouse mutation "staggerer" (sg/sg), located on chromosome 9, has been recognized as a neurological mutant because of movement abnormalities and defective cerebellar development. We show here that the sg/sg mutation not only affects the development of the cerebellum, but also causes developmental and regulatory changes of the immune system: We observed, on gross inspection, a marked delay in the development of sg/sg thymus, generally enlarged lymph nodes, and undersized spleens. When immunized with SRBC, the sg/sg mouse generated, in normal proportions, helper T-cells in vivo and antibody-forming B-cells in vitro; however, a delay in terminating the response and a deficiency in generating suppressor cells was noted. This suggests the existence of a defect in regulatory feedback mechanisms. The marked delay in the growth of the thymus gland was associated with the prolonged existence of cell-surface carbohydrate patterns characteristic of immature thymocytes. The prolonged expression of embryonal cell-surface phenotypes was observed on the surface of cerebellum and thymus (and, to some extent, spleen) but not in cells from other organs.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Enhancement of cytotoxic activity of natural killer cells by interleukin 2, and antagonism between interleukin 2 and adenosine cyclic monophosphate.

Two cytokines, interferon (IFN) and interleukin 2 (IL-2), activate murine natural killer (NK) cells in vitro. Together both factors synergize considerably. Antibody against IFN eliminates the response of NK cells to IFN as well as to IL-2, whereas antibody against IL-2 blocks the effect of IL-2 but not of IFN. These findings as well as previous observations imply that both factors act on the same cell but have different roles. We suggest that IFN induces NK cell activation and IL-2 enhances this effect. Further studies revealed that besides inducing cytotoxicity in NK cells IFN induces the production of prostaglandin E (PGE) which inhibits NK cell activation. We propose therefore that IFN has a dual effect on NK cells: it induces NK cells to become cytotoxic and initiates a negative feedback by increasing the production of PGE. IL-2, which synergizes with IFN in the activation of NK cells, ceases to do so when the negative feedback (PGE-mediated) is blocked with indomethacin. We infer that IL-2 enhances NK cell activity by interfering with the negative feedback rather than by aiding NK cell activation.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

A platelet-derived immunoregulatory serum factor with T cell affinity.

A factor in mouse and human serum which enhances immune responses to SRBC and TNP-Ficoll in mice has been described. This factor completely reverses immunosuppression induced by syngeneic lymphoma (RCS) or allogeneic lymph node cells. T lymphocytes bind this factor, since the activity can be removed from serum by absorption with T cell containing spleen cells or cloned cytotoxic T lymphocytes. Furthermore, the factor is active only in the presence of mature T cells. Platelet alpha-granules seem to be the source of this serum factor because 1) the activity is lacking in plasma, in serum prepared in the absence of platelets, and in serum prepared from a patient lacking platelet alpha-granules and 2) isolated mouse or human platelets release an immunostimulatory factor with very similar properties upon incubation with thrombin.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

cAMP is an essential signal in the induction of antibody production by B cells but inhibits helper function of T cells.

Dibutyryl cAMP and IL 1 were found to stimulate antigen-specific and polyclonal antibody production when added together to cultures of highly purified B cells. We propose that IL 1 and an elevation in cytoplasmic cAMP represent minimal signal requirements for B cell activation. In contrast to its effect on B cells, dibutyryl cAMP inhibited helper T cell activity. Cyclic AMP suppressed the production of IL 2 and T cell replacing factor (TRF) by T cells and thus abrogated the ability of helper T cells to enhance SRBC-specific antibody production by B cells. Cyclic AMP did not inhibit the generation by T cells of B cell growth factor (BCGF). BCGF, not normally detected in Con A supernatant, was found in the culture supernatant of spleen cells that were stimulated with Con A in the presence of cAMP. Our findings indicate that cAMP blocks the production of an inhibitor of BCGF activity. cAMP had no effect on the production by macrophages of IL 1.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

IL 1 requirement for B cell activation revealed by use of adult serum.

Fetal calf serum is an essential component of the culture medium developed by Mishell and Dutton for the immunization of murine spleen cells in vitro. Serum from adult donors (mouse, human, rabbit) does not support antibody synthesis in this system. This "deficiency" of adult serum can be overcome with IL 1. Adult serum in the presence of IL 1 is as effective in stimulating a B cell response against xenogeneic red cells as fetal calf serum. We attribute the capacity of fetal calf serum to support an immune response in the absence of exogenous IL 1 to serum factors that cause macrophages to release IL 1 endogenously. Our findings strengthen the notion that IL 1 plays an essential role in the process of B cell activation and suggests that the use of fetal calf serum should be avoided in studies concerned with the function of interleukin 1.

Aging↗