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Biomedical subjects

R M Welsh

Publications and source records attributed to R M Welsh.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Blastogenesis of large granular lymphocytes in nonlymphoid organs.

High numbers of large granular lymphocytes (LGL) accumulate in the livers and peritoneal cavities of mice during the course of viral infection. Accumulation of natural killer (NK) cells at day 3 postinfection (p.i.) was shown to be radiation-sensitive, implying that proliferation was required for this response. Accumulation occurred in splenectomized mice, indicating that the spleen, known to be an organ for mature NK cell proliferation, was not the major source for liver and peritoneal NK/LGL. Significant percentages (greater than 25%) of the LGL found in the liver and peritoneal cavity following viral infection or interferon induction with poly-inosinic:poly-cytidylic acid were defined morphologically as blasts (large cells with prominent nucleoli and intensely basophilic cytoplasms containing azurophilic granules). Most blast LGL at day 3 p.i. were sensitive to administration of anti-asialo GM1 serum in vivo, were Lyt-2-, and were enriched in populations that lysed NK cell-sensitive targets in vitro, indicating that these were NK/LGL. At day 3 p.i., leukocytes from the liver and peritoneal cavity incorporated 3H-thymidine and bound to and killed NK cell-sensitive targets in single-cell cytotoxicity assays. These data suggest that NK/LGL undergo at least one round of division in the liver and peritoneal cavity during viral infection. In contrast, blast LGL at day 7 p.i. were resistant to in vivo treatments with anti-asialo GM1 serum, were Lyt-2+, and were enriched in populations of cells that killed virus-infected histocompatible targets, indicating that they were cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL). These results suggest that both NK/LGL and CTL/LGL are capable of blastogenesis and presumed proliferation at sites of virus infection, providing a means for the in situ augmentation of a host's cell-mediated antiviral defenses.

Animals↗

Antiviral effect of lymphokine-activated killer cells: characterization of effector cells mediating prophylaxis.

Lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells generated by cultivation of C57BL/6 mouse spleen cells in the presence of recombinant interleukin-2 were transferred into natural killer (NK) cell-deficient suckling mouse recipients. These mice were then challenged with either murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) or lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCMV) and sacrificed 3 days later. No interleukin 2 infusions were given. Mice receiving as few as 5 x 10(5) LAK cells had several 100-fold decreases in spleen MCMV titers as compared with untreated mice. This treatment had no effect on spleen LCMV titers. The LAK cell cultures contained 10 to 17% NK 1.1+, 50 to 55% Lyt-2+, and 33 to 50% immunoglobulin D+ cells. Double fluorescence labeling and in vitro cytotoxicity assays with fluorescence-activated cell sorting revealed at least two mutually exclusive killer cell populations. NK 1.1+ LAK cells resembled freshly isolated activated NK cells with regard to target cell range (YAC-1 cell killing greater than L-929, P815, and EL-4 cell killing), large granular lymphocyte (LGL) morphology, and decreased ability to lyse interferon (IFN)-treated target cells. Lyt-2+ LAK cells lysed the targets mentioned above but at lower levels and without the differences in susceptibility mentioned above. These Lyt-2+ LAK cells also had a decreased ability to lyse IFN-treated targets, in contrast to classic cytotoxic T lymphocytes, which lyse IFN-treated targets far more efficiently than untreated targets. Purified populations of LAK cells obtained by fluorescence-activated cell sorting were used in the antiviral protection model. The results showed that protection against MCMV could be mediated by NK 1.1+, NK 1.1-, Lyt-2+, Lyt-2-, and IgD- populations but not by IgD+ cells. The five protective populations all had in common the LGL phenotype and cytotoxic activity in vitro. The IgD+ population did not contain LGLs, lyse target cells in vitro, or mediate an antiviral effect in vivo. These results suggest that LAK cells may be therapeutically useful against certain virus infections (MCMV) but not others (LCMV) and that despite their heterogeneity in antigenic phenotype and cytotoxic activity, their pattern of antiviral activity in vivo resembles that of NK cells, which protect against MCMV but not LCMV.

Animals↗

Chemotactic effect of human recombinant interleukin 2 on mouse activated large granular lymphocytes.

Human recombinant interleukin 2 (hrIL-2) was demonstrated in vitro to be chemotactic for mouse large granular lymphocytes (LGL) activated in vivo by virus infection. Peritoneal exudate cells harvested from virus-infected mice were used as a source of LGL. LGL collected from mouse hepatitis virus-infected mice at 3 days postinfection were a source for NK 1.1 positive natural killer (NK)/LGL. LGL collected from mice treated with antiserum to gangliotetraosylceramide and infected with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus for 7 days were used as a source for Lyt-2 positive cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL)/LGL. Both NK/LGL and CTL/LGL responded chemotactically to hrIL-2, purified IFN-beta, and to crude cell-free washout fluids collected from the peritoneal cavity of virus-infected mice. hrIL-2 had chemotactic activity for virus-elicited granular and agranular lymphocytes but did not attract the contaminating macrophages, in contrast to IFN-beta, which displayed chemotactic activity for virus-elicited granular and agranular lymphocytes as well as macrophages. The migration to hrIL-2 was inhibited by a monoclonal antibody (7D4) to the IL-2 receptor, but treatment with 7D4 did not affect migration in response to IFN-beta. Microscopic examination of Wright's-Giemsa-stained migrated NK/LGL and CTL/LGL revealed that the majority of migrated LGL in either LGL population had a blast cell morphology (enlarged cells with rich basophilic cytoplasm). The frequency of cells bearing the LGL morphology within the virus-elicited nonadherent peritoneal exudate cell population was on incubation in vitro, stabilized by either hrIL-2 or IFN-beta. These data suggest that another important immunomodulating function of IL-2 may be to attract activated NK/LGL and CTL/LGL to sites of inflammation.

Animals↗

Aberrant T cells in beige mutant mice.

Cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) morphology and function was examined in beige (bg/bg) mutant mice during infection with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV). Virus-specific, class I-restricted CTL activity mediated by total spleen leukocytes isolated from bg/+ or +/+ mice on days 7 or 9 postinfection with LCMV was moderately higher than that mediated by spleen cells isolated from bg/bg mice. The CTL generated in bg/bg mice had aberrant morphology. Lyt-2+ cells isolated from bg/+ or +/+ mice had typical large granular lymphocyte (LGL) morphology and contained numerous small azurophilic granules, whereas Lyt-2+ cells isolated from bg/bg mice contained only one or two large atypical granules in their cytoplasm. Aberrant LGL morphology correlated with reduced lytic capacity. The bg/bg CTL were inefficient killer cells mediating, on a per cell basis, only one fourth of the lysis mediated by bg/+ CTL. The bg/bg mice appeared to mount a compensatory response to regulate virus replication, because frequencies of Lyt-2+ cells and cells that specifically bound to virus-infected target cells were elevated as compared with their frequencies in bg/+ mice. The higher proportion of the CTL phenotype cells appeared to be a consequence of expanded proliferation of Lyt-2+ cells. These results demonstrate that, in comparison with bg/+ and +/+ mice, bg/bg mice have CTL with reduced lytic capacities, but may compensate during virus infection by expanding the number of these cells. Furthermore, these data suggest that the depressed lytic activity may be a consequence of aberrant granule formation.

Animals↗

Accumulation and chemotaxis of natural killer/large granular lymphocytes at sites of virus replication.

A model for monitoring the accumulation of natural killer cell/large granular lymphocytes (NK/LGL) at a site of virus replication was studied by using mice infected i.p. with either lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV), murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV), mouse hepatitis virus (MHV), Pichinde virus, or vaccinia virus. An i.p. but not i.v. infection resulted in a localized increase in NK/LGL cell number (a fourfold to greater than 20-fold increase) and augmentation (a 10- to 20-fold increase) of NK cell activity associated with virus-induced peritoneal exudate cell (PEC) populations. An increase in NK/LGL cell number was detected as early as 12 hr postinfection (p.i.) and peaked at 3 days p.i. with MHV. The initial LGL recruited into the peritoneal cavity at 1 to 3 days p.i. were nonadherent to plastic and were demonstrated to have an NK cell phenotype: asialo GM1+, Thy-1.2 +/-, Lyt-2.2-, and J11d-. The peak number of LGL appeared at 7 days after infection with the NK cell-resistant virus, LCMV. This LGL population had been previously demonstrated to contain cytotoxic T lymphocyte/LGL (CTL/LGL) as well as NK/LGL. During an MHV infection the number of LGL decreased between days 3 and 7 p.i., suggesting that the second wave of CTL/LGL was absent. These findings may explain the absence of a good MHV-CTL model. Virus-induced, activated NK/LGL responded to chemotactic signals by migrating in a unidirectional manner across two 5-microns pore size polycarbonate filters during 7 hr in vitro chemotaxis assays. Wash-out fluid obtained from the peritoneal cavity contained chemotactic activity for NK/LGL as well as for other cell types. We conclude that production and/or release of chemotactic factors at sites of virus replication are at least partially responsible for the accumulation of NK/LGL at these sites.

Animals↗

Natural killer cells are not required for interferon-mediated prophylaxis against vaccinia or murine cytomegalovirus infections.

Natural killer (NK) cell-depleted or control mice were treated prophylactically with polyinosinic: polycytidylic acid (polyI: polyC) or purified beta interferon (IFN) and then infected with either vaccinia virus or murine cytomegalovirus. NK cell depletion alone enhanced virus titres in the spleen and peritoneal cavity. However, poly I: polyC and IFN inhibited virus replication equally well in control and NK cell-depleted mice. This suggests that prophylactic IFN treatment mediates antiviral effects independently of NK cells.

Animals↗

Accumulation of natural killer and cytotoxic T large granular lymphocytes in the liver during virus infection.

The immunologic mechanisms involved in virus-induced hepatitis were examined by measuring the cytotoxic capabilities and the morphologic and antigenic phenotypes of leukocytes isolated from livers of virus-infected mice. Large granular lymphocytes (LGL) of both natural killer (NK) cell and cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) phenotypes were found to accumulate in livers of mice infected with either the nonhepatotropic Armstrong strain of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV-ARM) or the hepatotropic WE strain (LCMV-WE). Between days 1 and 5 postinfection (p.i.), both viruses induced a three- to fourfold increase in NK cell lytic activity in the livers of C3H/St mice and a three- to fourfold increase in the number of LGL in the organ. These LGL were characterized as NK cells on the basis of cell surface antigens, kinetics of appearance, target cell range, and morphology. By day 7 p.i., virus-specific, H-2-restricted, Thy-1+, Lyt-2+, CTL activity was present in the liver, and its appearance correlated with a second wave of LGL accumulation. CTL activity, total leukocyte number, and CTL/LGL number were at least fivefold higher in the livers of mice infected with LCMV-WE than with LCMV-ARM. The dramatic LCMV-WE-induced day 7 increases in total leukocytes and LGL were absent in athymic nude (nu/nu) mice, suggesting that the increases were T cell-dependent. LCMV-ARM infection of C57BL/6 mice induced significant spleen CTL activity but little liver CTL activity, whereas LCMV-WE infection resulted in significant liver CTL activity but minimal spleen CTL activity. Mice infected with the cytopathic hepatotropic viruses, mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) and murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV), experienced much greater increases in liver NK/LGL by day 3 p.i. than did mice infected with LCMV or injected with the interferon-inducer poly(I-C). MHV-infected mice homozygous for the beige (bg/bg) mutation also exhibited significant increases in liver NK/LGL cell number and activity, although the activity was less than heterozygote controls, and the morphology of the LGL granules was aberrant. These data show that the LGL accumulate in virus-infected organs, in this case, the liver. An early NK/LGL influx is most pronounced during infection with cytopathic hepatotropic viruses. This initial influx of NK/LGL is followed later by an influx of CTL also possessing LGL morphology. The CTL/LGL response in the liver is significantly greater during hepatotropic virus infections, even when a strong CTL response in the spleen is lacking.

Animals↗

Purification and target cell range of in vivo elicited blast natural killer cells.

Blast natural killer (NK) cells were elicited in the spleens of mice by treatments with the interferon inducers lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) or polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly I:C). The blast-NK cells, separated on the basis of size by centrifugal elutriation, were compared with blast cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) generated during infection with LCMV. In vivo treatments with antibody to asialo GM1 (AGM1) blocked the appearance of blast-NK cells but not blast-CTL. Antibody and complement depletion experiments indicated that the blast-NK cells were AGM1+, NK 1.2+/-, Lyt-5+/-, Thy+/-, Qa-5/NK 1.1+, Lyt-2-, B23.1-, and J11d-. Blast-NK cells could be unequivocally distinguished from blast-CTL, because the blast-CTL were completely sensitive to treatments with anti-Lyt-2 and complement, whereas the blast-NK cells were completely resistant. The blast-NK cells were purified from populations of large-size cells by antibody and complement treatments that depleted the co-eluting monocyte/macrophages and polymorphonuclear leukocytes. The population resulting after separation from dead cells over Percoll gradients represented approximately 1% of the total spleen cells, contained greater than 60% large granular lymphocytes and mediated greater than 15% killing of YAC-1 target cells in a 4-hr 51Cr release assay at an effector to target cell ratio of 1:1. The purified blast-NK cells lysed a broad range of target cells at relatively low effector to target cell ratios. The order of sensitivity of the target cells was YAC-1 much greater than K562 approximately equal to L-929 much greater than P815, consistent with that reported for NK cell-mediated lysis. The ability of the blast-NK cells to mediate lysis of NK cells also was examined. The purified NK cells mediated significant levels of lysis against the NK-like cloned line, NK1B6B10, in a 51Cr release assay. Furthermore, the purified blast-NK cells mediated lysis of bound blast-NK cells in a single-cell agarose assay. These results indicate that highly purified blast-NK cells are exceptionally efficient at mediating lysis and suggest that NK cells may act to negatively regulate the proliferation of NK cells by lysing other NK cells.

Animals↗

The role of natural killer cells and interferon in resistance to acute infection of mice with herpes simplex virus type 1.

The relative roles of interferon (IFN) and natural killer (NK) cells in herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infection of mice were examined. Adoptive transfer of adult mouse leukocytes into 4- to 6-day-old suckling mice protected the recipients from HSV-1 infection, as judged by viral titers in the spleen 2 days postinfection. Protection was mediated by several classes of leukocytes, including those depleted of NK cell activity by antibody to asialo GM1 and those depleted of macrophages by size separation. Mice receiving these leukocytes produced significantly higher levels of IFN 6 hr postinfection (early IFN) than did HSV-1-infected mice not receiving donor leukocytes. Antibody to IFN, under conditions that blocked early but not late IFN synthesis, greatly enhanced HSV-1 synthesis in mice receiving leukocytes and completely removed the protective effect mediated by leukocytes. High doses of anti-asialo GM1 blocked both NK cell activity and early IFN production and resulted in high titers of HSV-1. This effect on virus synthesis was not seen if mice were given antibody 1 day postinfection. Lower doses of anti-asialo GM1, which still depleted NK cell activity but had no effect on early IFN production, did not enhance HSV-1 synthesis. Depletion of NK cell activity with a low dose of antibody had no effect on the reduced HSV-1 synthesis resulting from prophylactic IFN treatment or on the enhanced HSV-1 synthesis resulting from antibody to IFN treatment. Thus, resistance to acute HSV-1 infection in mice correlates with early IFN production but not with NK cell activity, suggesting that NK cells are not major mediators of natural resistance in this model and that the antiviral effect of IFN is not mediated by NK cells.

Acute Disease↗

Generation of large granular T lymphocytes in vivo during viral infection.

Cytolytic lymphocytes were isolated from the spleens of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV)-infected mice and were characterized in regards to function, cell size, antigen phenotype, and cell morphology. Only 2% of the Lyt-2+ cells from uninfected mice were large granular lymphocytes (LGL), whereas 21% of the Lyt-2+ cells isolated 7 days postinfection were LGL. The day 7 Lyt-2+ populations contained all of the LCMV-specific, class I histocompatibility antigen-restricted cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) activity, but no natural killer (NK) cell activity. The NK cell activity was consistently recovered in Lyt-2- populations isolated from both control mice and mice on day 7 postinfection. The LGL isolated on day 7 postinfection were concluded to be predominantly T cells and not NK cells because 1) the proportions of LGL in fractionated cell populations 7 days postinfection correlated with levels of CTL-mediated lysis but not NK cell-mediated lysis, 2) they were recovered in the Lyt-2+ population, and 3) antibody to asialo GM1, known to eliminate NK cell-mediated lysis but not T cell-mediated lysis, dramatically reduced NK cell LGL numbers in vivo on day 3 postinfection but only marginally affected LGL numbers on day 7. Virus-induced inflammation elicited a 50-fold increase in LGL numbers in the peritoneum on day 7 postinfection. The peritoneal exudate LGL were also associated with CTL activity and were resistant to treatment with antibody to asialo GM1. These results indicate that in vivo-generated CTL have the morphology of LGL and that the appearance of cytoplasmic granules correlates with the ability of cells to mediate lysis. To focus on cells being stimulated during infections, activated blast cells were separated from small resting cells by centrifugal elutriation. Coincidental with the peak in overall spleen leukocyte cytotoxic activity, the peaks of blast NK cells and CTL were at days 3 and 7 postinfection respectively. More than 50% of the blast lymphocytes isolated on either day 3 or day 7 postinfection were LGL. The CTL activity in the blast populations on day 7 postinfection was mediated by Lyt-2+ cells, and 37 to 64% of these Lyt-2+ blast cells were LGL. Cytolytic NK cell and CTL LGL could not be distinguished by morphology or by cell densities, because they overlapped in low density Percoll gradient fractions. Since this technique has been used to enrich for LGL, these data indicate that heterogeneity in LGL populations may result from the presence of both CTL and NK cell LGL.

Animals↗

Induction of alloreactive cytotoxic T cells by acute virus infection of mice.

Alloreactive cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) distinct from virus-specific CTL and activated natural killer (NK) cells were generated during acute lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) infection of C57BL/6J mice. The alloreactive CTL shared similar antigenic markers (Thy-1.2+, Lyt-2.2+, and asialo GM1-) with the virus-specific CTL that appeared at the same time 7 days postinfection, but had different target specificities. These alloreactive CTL lysed allogeneic but not syngeneic or xenogeneic targets. These were distinct from activated NK cells, which lysed all target cell types, peaked 3 days postinfection, and had a phenotype of asialo GM1+, Thy-1 +/-, Lyt-2.2-. Cold target competition studies indicated that there were several subsets of alloreactive T cells with distinct specificities, and that these alloreactive T cells were not subsets of the virus-specific T cells. Similar types of alloreactive CTL were induced at much lower levels in C3H/St mice. This may indicate that the generation of this "aberrant" T cell activity is under genetic control. Hence, the LCMV infection of C57BL/6J mice induces several cytotoxic effector populations including alloreactive CTL, activated NK cells, and virus-specific CTL. Virus infections therefore have the ability not only to polyclonally stimulate B cells, as previously described, but also to stimulate CTL.

Acute Disease↗

Natural cytotoxicity against mouse hepatitis virus-infected target cells. I. Correlation of cytotoxicity with virus binding to leukocytes.

Spleen cells from uninfected control mice selectively lysed BALB/c 3T3 fibroblasts infected with mouse hepatitis virus (MHV), a murine coronavirus. Lysis of infected cells occurred within 3 hr, and histocompatibility between effector and target cells was not required. This natural, cell-mediated, virus-associated cytotoxicity differed from NK cell- and T cell-mediated lysis. Spleen cells from animals infected with MHV were enriched in NK activity and were more cytotoxic to YAC-1 target cells, but did not show enhanced cytotoxicity for MHV-infected target cells. Spleen cells from beige mice, which are deficient in NK cell activity, were able to lyse MHV-infected target cells, as were spleen cells from nude mice, which are deficient in T cell activity. Lysis of MHV-infected target cells could be mediated by cells from the spleen and, to a lesser extent, by cells from the bone marrow, but not by resident peritoneal cells or thymocytes. We suggest the term "virus killer (VK) activity" for this phenomenon. VK activity of splenocytes from different mouse strains correlated with the ability of the splenocytes to bind purified radiolabeled MHV virions. MHV virions caused agglutination of spleen leukocytes from susceptible mouse strains, indicating that leukocyte agglutination or adsorption may provide a useful assay for coronaviruses such as MHV which lack hemagglutinating activity. SJL mouse splenocytes did not bind MHV and did not lyse infected targets. MHV bound relatively well to splenocytes of other mouse strains, but poorly to thymocytes and erythrocytes. Binding of MHV to leukocytes was not influenced by 6 mM EDTA or EGTA, indicating a lack of requirement for Mg++ or Ca++. VK activity was also resistant to EDTA and EGTA, in contrast to NK activity, which was sensitive to those chelating agents. VK activity was also unaffected by actinomycin D, cycloheximide, or puromycin, indicating that new protein synthesis was not required for lysis. Antibody to interferon-alpha/beta did not block lysis, nor was there substantially enhanced lysis mediated by leukocytes from mice infected with virus and thus exposed to high levels of interferon. VK activity was blocked by antibody directed against the peplomeric glycoprotein E2 of MHV. VK activity required infected target cells, because cells with adsorbed MHV virions were not lysed by splenocytes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Adhesiveness↗

Natural cytotoxicity against mouse hepatitis virus-infected cells. II. A cytotoxic effector cell with a B lymphocyte phenotype.

The effector cell in mouse spleen which mediates natural cytotoxicity against mouse hepatitis virus (MHV)-infected target cells was characterized. The target cells were MHV-infected BALB/c 3T3, and the assay time was 3 hr. The effector cell, designated virus killer (VK) cell for the purpose of discussion, had the following phenotype: lymphocyte morphology, plastic-nonadherent, nylon wool-adherent, nonphagocytic, cyclophosphamide-sensitive; by antibody plus complement (C) depletion studies, it was asialo GM1-, NK 1.2 alloantigen-negative, Thy-1.2-, Lyt-5-, and macrophage antigen-negative; by rosetting techniques, it was Fc receptor-positive and surface Fab+; by flow cytometry (FACS) analysis, it was Lyt-2-, MAC-1-, Ia+, IgG (gamma)+, IgM (mu)+, IgD (delta)+, and B cell lineage antibody B-220+. NK cells, measured for cytotoxicity on YAC-1 cells, were similarly tested and were found to differ from the VK cell in the following properties: nylon wool-nonadherent, asialo GM1+, NK alloantigen-positive, Lyt-5+, surface Fab-, MAC-1+, Ia-, IgG-, IgM-, IgD-, and B-220-. The VK effector cell had a phenotype highly distinguishable from NK cells, effectors most commonly associated with antiviral natural cytotoxicity. The VK cell had a phenotype identical to that of a B lymphocyte and was identified as such. Although the effector cells displayed cell surface antibody, the antibody did not appear to be involved in lysis, because lysis could not be blocked by F(ab)'2 directed against Fab, mu, or delta. Cytotoxicity was more likely associated with recognition of the B lymphocyte surface by the MHV glycoprotein E2, as shown in the accompanying companion paper. This is the first demonstration that natural cytotoxicity can be mediated by B lymphocytes.

Animals↗

Enhanced susceptibility to cytotoxic T lymphocytes of target cells isolated from virus-infected or interferon-treated mice.

Bone marrow cells and thymocytes isolated from virus-infected or interferon (IFN)-treated mice had marked increases in sensitivity to lysis by allospecific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) and in expression of class I histocompatibility antigens. Cultured fibroblasts treated with IFN in vitro yielded similar findings in addition to having increased sensitivity to lysis by virus-specific CTL. This indicates that virus-induced IFN may condition target cells in vivo for surveillance by CTL.

Animals↗