Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

N R Cooper

Publications and source records attributed to N R Cooper.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1996

Epstein-Barr virus binding to CD21, the virus receptor, activates resting B cells via an intracellular pathway that is linked to B cell infection.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) initiates infection of normal B lymphocytes by binding to CD21, a complement receptor. Since EBV, unlike most viruses, preferentially infects resting (non-activated) cells, the present studies were undertaken to evaluate the hypothesis that intracellular signalling pathway(s) triggered by EBV binding to CD21 activate the expression of certain cellular genes, as well as the initially expressed viral genes, and thus enable EBV to infect resting B cells. Experiments with nontransforming EBV, recombinant virus ligand and anti-CD2 1 MAbs show that EBV binding to CD21 on resting B cells increases CD23 mRNA levels independently of viral gene expression. A panel of five protein kinase C (PKC) and tyrosine kinase (PTK) inhibitors, all with different modes of action, exhibited a distinctive pattern of effects on the EBV induced induction of CD23 expression, ranging from nearly complete inhibition to no influence. The results suggest that distinct PKC isoforms and PTKs are involved in the signalling pathway(s) triggered by EBV binding to CD21. Significantly, the five inhibitors showed the same pattern of effects on the earliest stages of infection (EBNA-2 transcription) and B cell transformation (mitogenesis and colony formation). The identical pattern of effects of these PKC and PTK inhibitors with diverse mechanisms of action on the EBV induced increase in both CD23 and EBNA-2 mRNA levels strongly suggests that their transcription is mediated by an intracellular signalling pathway which shares, at least in part, common members.

B-Lymphocytes↗
PubMed1996

Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen 2 and latent membrane protein independently transactivate p53 through induction of NF-kappaB activity.

B-cell immortalization by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is dependent on permanent control of the cellular processes which normally regulate cell division and apoptosis, functions possessed by p53 in a number of normal cell types. In studies initiated to evaluate relationships between EBV latent genes and p53, p53 levels were found to increase approximately 10-fold 4 to 5 days after EBV infection of purified resting human B cells; the induced p53 was transcriptionally active. Latent membrane protein 1 and, to a lesser extent, EBV nuclear antigen 2 mediated the increase in p53 levels via activation of the NF-kappaB transcription factor.

Antigens, Viral↗
PubMed1994

Modulation of signaling via the B cell antigen receptor by CD21, the receptor for C3dg and EBV.

CD21 is the receptor for C3dg and EBV. Several reports have shown that these CD21 ligands, and certain anti-CD21 mAb, trigger B cell activation, particularly when combined with Ag receptor ligation. However, the characteristics, biologic functions, and importance of this CD21-signaling pathway are unknown. We have used a model we recently developed to study B cell activation induced by complex particulate Ag, such as immune complexes and viruses, to begin to examine these questions. In the current studies, we incubated purified small resting B cells with 100-nm latex beads bearing various combinations of CD21 ligands and mAbs to CD19, CD35, and the Ag receptor. CD21, CD19, and CD35 have all been implicated in modulating membrane IgM initiated signaling. Beads coated with mAb to the C3dg/EBV-binding portion of CD21, but not mAb to other portions of the CD21 molecule, triggered B cell homotypic aggregation. Beads coated with the same CD21 ligands, although inactive alone, synergized with anti-IgM mAb in greatly increasing (20- to 180-fold) mRNA levels of the c-fos nuclear proto-oncogene. Signaling via CD21 was tyrosine kinase dependent. Levels of c-myc mRNA were not altered by CD21 ligands. Anti-CD19 and anti-CD35 mAb did not augment signaling via membrane IgM as assessed by changes in c-fos mRNA levels. These findings indicate that CD21 ligands binding to the C3dg/EBV-binding site of CD21 markedly augment B cell activation initiated by Ag receptor ligation via a selective, c-fos-dependent signaling pathway.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗
PubMed1994

T cell-dependent, B cell-activating properties of antibody-coated small latex beads. A new model for B cell activation.

We have developed a new model to study B cell activation induced by complex particulate Ag, immune complexes, and viruses. As the surrogate for such Ag, we have used 100-nm fluorescent latex beads bearing mAb to IgM and IgD. Anti-IgM- and anti-IgD-coated small latex beads bind readily to tonsil resting B cells and induce homotypic B cell aggregation. Aggregation induced by anti-IgM-coated beads but not by anti-IgD-coated beads was massively enhanced by IL-2 and IL-4. Anti-IgM- and anti-IgD-coated beads increased (4- to 12-fold) c-fos and c-myc mRNA levels in resting B cells in a dose-dependent manner; this increase was tyrosine kinase dependent. Anti-IgM- and anti-IgD-coated beads were mitogenic for resting B cells, but unlike other B cell activation models, mitogenesis was absolutely dependent on the presence of IL-2 or IL-4. Finally, anti-IgM-coated beads but not anti-IgD-coated beads were internalized as single beads into small, thin-walled endocytic vesicles; internalization was absolutely dependent on the presence of IL-4. Binding and internalization can be readily quantified because the beads are fluorescent. This model can also be used to study the functions of other cell surface molecules that modulate Ag-specific B cell immune responses. It will also be used for examining multiple aspects of T-B cell interactions during immune responses and Ag processing because of the dependence on T cell factors for B cell activation, coupled with the finding that the Ab-coated beads are internalized.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Substrate specificities of murine C1s.

An early step in the initiation of the classical C pathway is the proteolytic activation of component C4 by subcomponent C1-s. We have examined the substrate specificity of murine C1-s (mC1-s) by measuring its proteolytic activity on human and murine C4, and on the murine C4 isotype designated sex-limited protein (Slp). The latter substrate was examined because previous studies have demonstrated that Slp is not cleaved by C1-s, and hence Slp has been assumed to be nonfunctional in the C pathways. Those earlier studies used human, not murine, C1-s, however; a recent report has suggested that Slp is an essential component of a novel complement activation pathway and that the previous failure to observe cleavage of Slp is probably the result of a species incompatibility between Slp and the heterologous human C1-s (hC1-s). The present studies do not support this idea, as we found no evidence of cleavage of Slp by homologous murine C1-s even at enzyme concentrations 10-fold higher than that necessary for 50% cleavage of murine C4 (mC4). We did find a species-specific affect in the cleavage of mC4, where mC1-s is about 10-fold more effective than heterologous hC1-s in cleaving mC4, but mC1-s itself does not distinguish between human and murine C4, cleaving both equally well. Hence mC1-s does not exhibit the species specificity previously found for hC1-s, which shows a several hundred-fold preference for homologous human C4 over murine C4.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Murine C4b-binding protein. Mapping of the ligand binding site and the N-terminus of the pre-protein.

We have constructed cell surface-bound forms of murine C4b-binding protein (mC4BP) that allowed us to monitor the binding of mC4BP to C4b with relatively simple erythrocyte rosette assays. We used two types of surface-bound mC4BP: one in which segments of mC4BP were fused directly to a peptide containing the transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains of human complement receptor CR2 (BPR1-type); and a second in which the same segments were fused to a longer peptide containing the five membrane-proximal short consensus repeats (SCR) of CR2 as well as the transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains (BPR2-type). COS cells transfected with either construct carrying all six mC4BP SCR rosetted with C4b-bearing EAC14 cells but not with C4b-lacking EAC1 cells; and rosetting was inhibited by excess inactivated C4 but not inactivated C3. COS cells transfected with BPR2 constructs carrying only SCR 1-3 or 1-4 gave similar rosetting behavior. However, rosetting was not observed with BPR2 constructs carrying only SCR 1-2 or 2-6, or with BPR1 constructs carrying only SCR 1-2, 1-3, 1-4, or 2-6. Finally, we found that alteration of the AUG sequence 56 triplet codons upstream of the putative N-terminus of mature mC4-BP eliminates rosetting whereas alteration of a second AUG sequence 13 codons upstream has no effect on rosetting. These results indicate that 1) SCR 1-3 of mC4BP are necessary and adequate for binding to C4b, 2) steric effects close to the cell surface may interfere with binding, and 3) mC4BP has an extraordinarily long 56 amino acid residue signal peptide.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1993

Plasmacytoid differentiation of Epstein-Barr virus-transformed B cells in vivo is associated with reduced expression of viral latent genes.

The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders that arise in immunosuppressed individuals are considered to resemble EBV-transformed in vitro lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) with a mature activated B-cell phenotype. In this study of human lymphoproliferative disorders in the severe combined immunodeficiency mouse model, however, we demonstrate that EBV-infected tumor cells are not LCL-like but are predominantly plasmacytoid and that this phenotype correlates with reduced expression of EBV latent genes. B-cell tumors developed within 3-6 weeks after injection of LCLs into severe combined immunodeficiency mice. The tumors and the injected LCLs were analyzed by flow cytofluorometry for B-cell differentiation and activation markers and by ribonuclease protection assay for cellular and viral gene expression. No differences in the expression of CD19 and CD21 were observed. However, a decrease in CD23, CD11a (lymphocyte function-associated antigen LFA-1), and CD58 (LFA-3) expression and an increase in CD38 (a plasma-cell-associated antigen), CD54 (intracellular adhesion molecule ICAM-1), and HLA class I in the tumor cells relative to the LCLs was observed. Two-color flow cytofluorometric analysis showed that the predominant population (> 80%) in LCLs was CD23hi/CD38lo and that the major population in LCL-derived tumors was CD23lo/CD38hi. Cell cycle analysis showed that, in contrast to actively cycling LCLs, the majority of tumor cells had exited the cell cycle and were restricted to G0/G1 phase. Finally, and most important, a reduction in mRNA for the EBV latent genes EBV nuclear antigen 2 (EBNA2) and latent membrane protein (LMP1) was observed in the tumors.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Initiation of human cytomegalovirus infection requires initial interaction with cell surface heparan sulfate.

In this report, we demonstrate that the initial event in human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection is attachment to extracellular heparan sulfate. Further, this interaction is important for initiation of infection in fibroblast cells. Using microbinding assays to specifically monitor virus attachment as well as plaque titration assays to measure infectivity, we found that heparin competition as well as enzymatic digestion of cells with heparinase blocked virus attachment, initiation of immediate-early gene expression and infectivity. Other major glycosaminoglycans were found not to be involved in HCMV attachment and infectivity. In addition, HCMV was unable to attach to mutant derivatives of Chinese hamster ovary cells deficient in synthesis of heparan sulfate proteoglycans. Basic fibroblast growth factor, which requires initial interaction with extracellular heparin prior to binding to its high affinity receptor, also inhibited HCMV attachment to cells. Time-course experiments revealed that the initial HCMV binding was sensitive to heparin competition (10 micrograms/ml) or 0.75 M salt washes. The initial heparin-dissociable binding converted rapidly to high affinity (heparin resistant) HCMV attachment. These data suggest that sequential receptor interactions may mediate HCMV adsorption to cells. Heparin affinity chromatography revealed that multiple HCMV envelope glycoproteins, including gB, are capable of binding to heparin.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Low expression of CD20 and CD23 in Epstein-Barr virus-induced B cell tumors in SCID/hu mice.

Intraperitoneal injection of immunodeficient C.B.-17/scid (SCID) mice with human peripheral blood leukocytes from Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-seropositive donors or with peripheral blood leukocytes from EBV-seronegative donors followed by an injection of EBV results in the development of human B-cell tumors. EBV-induced oligoclonal SCID/hu tumors closely resemble the EBV-associated lymphoproliferative disorders that are complications in immunosuppressed transplant patients. Previous reports have indicated that SCID/hu tumor cells are phenotypically similar to in vitro-transformed lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCL), which express high levels of mature B-cell lineage/activation antigens (CD19, CD20, CD21, CD23, CD30, CD39). In this study, however, flow cytometric (FACS) analysis showed that expression of CD20 and CD23 by SCID/hu tumor cells was markedly reduced relative to CD20 and CD23 expression by donor-matched, in vitro-transformed LCL. Injection of LCL into SCID mice also produced tumors in which CD20 and CD23 expression was greatly reduced relative to levels expressed by the injected LCL. In addition, tumorigenesis following LCL injection was associated with the production of high levels of human Ig in the sera of SCID mice. Our data thus indicate that EBV-driven tumorigenesis in vivo is associated with significant changes in B-cell phenotype relative to EBV-infected B cells transformed in vitro.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Complement activation by beta-amyloid in Alzheimer disease.

Alzheimer disease (AD) is characterized by excessive deposition of the beta-amyloid peptide (beta-AP) in the central nervous system. Although several lines of evidence suggest that beta-AP is neurotoxic, a mechanism for beta-AP toxicity in AD brain remains unclear. In this paper we provide both direct in vitro evidence that beta-AP can bind and activate the classical complement cytolytic pathway in the absence of antibody and indirect in situ evidence that such actions occur in the AD brain in association with areas of AD pathology.

Alzheimer Disease↗
PubMed1992

Mutants of complement component C3 cleaved by the C4-specific C1-s protease.

To identify some of the structural features determining specific protease recognition of complement components C3 and C4, we used site-specific mutagenesis to construct mutants of murine C3 that are cleaved by the C4-specific C1-s protease. Insertion of three amino acid residues corresponding to residues at the C1-s cleavage site of human C4 into murine C3 at the analogous C3 convertase cleavage site was adequate to render the mutant protein susceptible to C1-s cleavage. In addition, insertion of C3-specific residues at the same site or introduction of the C4-specific residues as substitutions rather than as an insertion also rendered the site susceptible to cleavage, but with 10- to 50-fold lower efficiencies, and insertion of even a single amino acid residue affected recognition by C1-s. Finally, insertion of amino acid residues into mC3 partially inhibited cleavage by the alternative-pathway C3 convertase, with insertion of C3- or C4-specific residues giving about the same level of inhibition. A simple interpretation of these data is that C1-s cleavage is dependent primarily on steric accessibility and on recognition of specific amino acid residues at the cleavage site, whereas C3 convertase cleavage is dependent primarily on specific interactions distal to the cleavage site, with only relatively weak, non-C3-specific interactions at the cleavage site itself.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1992

Epstein-Barr virus induced lymphoproliferative tumors in severe combined immunodeficient mice are oligoclonal.

Severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice reconstituted with lymphocytes from Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) negative human donors develop aggressive tumors after the chimeric mice are infected with EBV. The tumors were composed of human B cells that expressed EBV encoded antigens (latent membrane protein and EBV nuclear antigen2). Southern blot analysis of DNA from 16 SCID/hu tumors with human Ig gene probes showed that each tumor contained multiple heavy and light chain gene rearrangements. Ig kappa gene rearrangements were frequent, while clonal lambda gene rearrangements were infrequent. Analysis of EBV terminal repeat sequences indicated two or more fused termini in each tumor, consistent with a multiclonal origin. Linear terminal repeat segments and viral antigens (EA-D and EA-R) associated with EBV replication were not detected in the tumors. High levels of human Igs in the SCID/hu serum were oligoclonal and primarily contained kappa light chains. Before the appearance of overt tumors, circulating cells with human and EBV DNA could be detected in the SCID/hu mice by the polymerase chain reaction. We conclude that EBV infection in SCID/hu chimeric mice produces a limited number of transformation events, which give rise to oligoclonal tumors resembling EBV-associated lymphoproliferative disorders in some immune-deficient patients.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Characterization of a Trypanosoma cruzi C3 binding protein with functional and genetic similarities to the human complement regulatory protein, decay-accelerating factor.

Evasion of the complement system by microorganisms is an essential event in the establishment of infection. In the case of Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease, resistance to complement-mediated lysis is a developmentally regulated characteristic. Infectious trypomastigotes are resistant to complement-mediated lysis in the absence of immune antibodies, whereas the insect forms (epimastigotes) are sensitive to lysis via the alternative complement pathway. We have purified a developmentally regulated, trypomastigote glycoprotein, gp160, and shown that it has complement regulatory activity. The T. cruzi gp160 restricts complement activation by binding the complement component C3b and inhibiting C3 convertase formation. The protein is anchored in the parasite membrane via a glycosyl phosphatidylinositol linkage, similar to the human complement regulatory protein, decay-accelerating factor. Using anti-gp160 antibodies we have isolated a bacteriophage lgt11 clone expressing a portion of the gp160 gene that shares significant DNA sequence homology with the human DAF gene. These results provide functional, biochemical, and genetic evidence that the T. cruzi gp160 is a member of the C3/C4 binding family of complement regulatory proteins, and that gp160 may provide the infectious trypomastigotes with a means of evading the destructive effects of complement.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Complement evasion strategies of microorganisms.

The success of microorganisms as human pathogens stems partly from their ability to evade recognition and/or avoid destruction by complement and other natural and acquired defense mechanisms. Here, Neil Cooper reviews the various mechanisms that pathogens have evolved to evade the destructive actions of the complement system, with particular emphasis on the many remarkable examples of the duplication of complement-like structural and functional epitopes by microorganisms. Such mimicry not only enables the pathogens to avoid destruction by complement-mediated mechanisms but also, in a number of instances, facilitates infection.

Bacterial Proteins↗
PubMed1991

Expression of a human cytomegalovirus receptor correlates with infectibility of cells.

Previous studies have demonstrated that human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) specifically binds to a fibroblast membrane glycoprotein(s) with a molecular mass from 30 to 34 kDa. In this study, the distribution of the putative receptor proteins was analyzed in a variety of cell types, including cell types representative of those that are infected in vivo. Using a sensitive microbinding assay (to score virus attachment) and an indirect detection method (to score HCMV-binding proteins), we found that the 34- and 32-kDa HCMV binding proteins are ubiquitous molecules, broadly distributed among diverse cell types. In addition, the level of virus attachment was found to correlate with the abundance of the 34- and 32-kDa cellular proteins, while the ability of the virus to penetrate cells and initiate infection did not. The results support the hypothesis that the 34- and 32-kDa cellular proteins represent the HCMV (attachment) receptor. The data also support the notion that additional cellular components are required for virus entry and fusion.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Cellular receptor for human cytomegalovirus.

The results of the studies reported strongly suggest that the binding of HCMV to a target cell in vitro is mediated by a glycoprotein membrane receptor having a molecular weight of approximately 30 kd. It has been further concluded that this particular molecule is the principal HCMV receptor, since it has been observed in each of the cell types that have been studied. As for the 28 and 60 kd molecules, the former may be a proteolytic degradation product and the latter a dimer of the 30 kd receptor. The precise contribution of the 92 kd that may allow for viral penetration into a host cell molecule to the initial recognition event is unknown at the present time.

Cells, Cultured↗
PubMed1990

Conversion of the C4d.2 serologic allotype of murine complement component C4 to the C4d.1 allotype by site-specific mutagenesis.

C4d.1 and C4d.2 are serologically defined allotypes of murine complement component C4. Previous studies in Shreffler's laboratory have shown that the structural difference between the two allotypes lies within a single tryptic peptide of the C4 alpha-chain and that the sequences of this fragment from the two allotypes (determined from nucleic acid sequences of genomic clones) differ only by the substitution of arginine in C4d.2 for glutamine in C4d.1. Hence this single amino acid change apparently is responsible for the rather striking serological difference between the two allotypes. To test this conclusion, we have used site-specific mutagenesis to alter the sequence of a full-length C4 cDNA that was derived from a mouse strain expressing the C4d.2 allotype. We substituted a glutamine codon for the arginine codon at the specified site and expressed both mutant and parent recombinant C4 proteins by transient transfection of COS cells. We found that an alloantiserum specific for C4d.1 reacts with the mutant protein but not the parent whereas an alloantiserum specific for C4d.2 reacts with the parent protein, as expected, but not the mutant. These results confirm that a single amino acid difference specifies the C4d.1 and C4d.2 allotypes.

Alleles↗