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Helicobacter pylori Lewis expression is related to the host Lewis phenotype.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Lewis antigens occur in human gastric epithelium and in Helicobacter pylori lipopolysaccharide; their expression is polymorphic in both. Autoimmune mechanisms induced by bacterial Lewis expression have been proposed to cause gastritis. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between bacterial and host gastric Lewis expression, as determined by the erythrocyte Lewis(a/b) phenotype, and between gastric histopathology and bacterial Lewis expression. METHODS: H. pylori Lewis expression was determined by enzyme immunoassays, erythrocyte Lewis phenotype was assessed by agglutination tests, and gastric histopathology was scored blindly. RESULTS: The host Lewis phenotype was (a+b-) in 15, (a-b+) in 34, and (a-b-) in 17 patients, therefore expressing Lewis x, y, or neither as their major gastric epithelial Lewis type 2 antigen. H. pylori from patients with Lewis(a+b-) expressed Lewis x more than y (1147 +/- 143 vs. 467 +/- 128 optical density units [ODU]; P = 0.006), isolates from patients with Lewis(a-b+) expressed Lewis x less than y (359 +/- 81 vs. 838 +/- 96 ODU; P = 0.0001), and isolates from Lewis(a-b-) patients expressed Lewis x and y approximately equally. Gastritis was unrelated to H. pylori Lewis expression. CONCLUSIONS: In mimicking host gastric epithelium, H. pylori cells not only express Lewis x and y, but the relative proportion of expression corresponds to the host Lewis phenotype, suggesting selection for host-adapted organisms.

Adult↗

Male germ cell transplantation in livestock.

Male germ cell transplantation is a powerful approach to study the control of spermatogenesis with the ultimate goal to enhance or suppress male fertility. In livestock animals, applications can be expanded to provide an alternative method of transgenesis and an alternative means of artificial insemination (AI). The transplantation technique uses testis stem cells, harvested from the donor animal. These donor stem cells are injected into seminiferous tubules, migrate from the lumen to relocate to the basement membrane and, amazingly, they can retain the capability to produce donor sperm in their new host. Adaptation of the mouse technique for livestock is progressing, with gradual gains in efficiency. Germ cell transfer in goats has produced offspring, but not yet in cattle and pigs. In goats and pigs, the applications of germ cell transplantation are mainly in facilitating transgenic animal production. In cattle, successful male germ cell transfer could create an alternative to AI in areas where it is impractical. Large-scale culture of testis stem cells would enhance the use of elite bulls by providing a renewable source of stem cells for transfer. Although still in a developmental state, germ cell transplantation is an emerging technology with the potential to create new opportunities in livestock production.

Animals↗

Nuclear factor interleukin 6 motifs mediate tissue-specific gene transcription in hypoxia.

Activation of transcription at the nuclear factor interleukin 6 (NF-IL-6) DNA binding motif modulates expression of multiple genes important in host adaptive and developmental mechanisms. Studies showing that hypoxia-induced transcription of IL-6 in cultured endothelial cells was due to transcriptional activation by the NF-IL-6 motif in the promoter (Yan, S.-F., Tritto, I., Pinsky, D., Liao, H., Huang, J., Fuller, G., Brett, J., May, L., and Stern, D. (1995) J. Biol. Chem. 270, 11463-11471) led us to prepare transgenic mice using 115- or 14-base pair regions of the promoter encompassing the NF-IL-6 site ligated to the lacZ reporter gene and the basal thymidine kinase promoter. On exposure to hypoxia or induction of ischemia, mice bearing either of the constructs showed prominent expression of the transgene in lung and cardiac vasculature and in the kidney but not in the liver (parenchyma or vasculature). In contrast, transgenic mice bearing a mutationally inactivated NF-IL-6 site showed no increase in transgene expression in hypoxia. Gel retardation assays revealed time-dependent, hypoxia-enhanced nuclear binding activity for the NF-IL-6 site in nuclear extracts of the heart, lung, and kidney but not in the liver; the hypoxia-enhanced band disappeared on addition of antibody to C/EBPbeta-NF-IL-6. Consistent with the specificity of hypoxia-mediated activation of C/EBPbeta-NF-IL-6, gel retardation assays showed no change in the intensity of the hypoxia-enhanced gel shift band in the presence of excess unlabeled oligonucleotide probes or antibodies related to other transcription factors, including NFkappaB, AP1, cAMP response element-binding protein, SP1, and hypoxia-inducible factor 1. These data indicate that the transcription factor NF-IL-6 is sensitive to environmental oxygen deprivation, and the tissue-specific pattern of gene expression suggests that local mechanisms have an important regulatory effect.

Animals↗

Establishment and characterization of partially differentiated chicken enterocyte cell clones.

Three enterocyte cell clones were established in vitro from the intestine of a PA12 hen embryo. These cells exhibited epithelioid morphology and grew as monolayers. The cells were continuously propagated in culture up to 250 passages. Gradual increase in growth rate with time and in anchorage-independent growth in both agar and agarose showed that the three cell clones spontaneously transformed in vitro. The clones were heteroploid with one marker chromosome. Interestingly, they had features of partly differentiated enterocytes, especially microvilli, junctions connecting adjacent cells (tight junctions, desmosomes, hemidesmosomes, gap junctions), villin and cytokeratins. In addition, cells expressed brush border enzyme activity and transepithelial resistance. The fact that the levels of dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV) and alkaline phosphatase activities fluctuated according to culture time and that MHC class II was induced by activation of cells with interferon suggested that the state of differentiation of the 3 cell clones could be modified in vitro. These clones are the first established avian enterocyte cell clones to be described. Because each cell clone exhibited differences in the level of differentiation and sensitivity to Salmonella infection, their use will allow comparative investigations concerning markers of differentiation of avian enterocytes and infection by host-adapted bacteria and parasites.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗

Mitochondrial DNA sequence divergence among Schizaphis graminum (Hemiptera: Aphididae) clones from cultivated and non-cultivated hosts: haplotype and host associations.

A 1.0 kb region of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene from the greenbug aphid, Schizaphis graminum (Rondani), was sequenced for 24 field collected clones from non-cultivated and cultivated hosts. Maximum likelihood, maximum parsimony and neighbour-joining phylogenies were estimated for these clones, plus 12 previously sequenced clones. All three tests produced trees with identical topologies and confirmed the presence of three clades within S. graminum. Clones showed no relationship between biotype and mtDNA haplotype. At least one biotype was found in all three clades, suggesting exchange among clades of genetic material conditioning for crop virulence, or the sharing of a common ancestor. However, there was a relationship between host and haplotype. Clade 1 was the most homogeneous and contained 12 of 16 clones collected from cultivated hosts and five of the six collected from johnsongrass, Sorghum halepense, a congener of cultivated sorghum, S. bicolor. Four of the six clones collected from Agropyron spp. were found in clade 2. Clade 3 contained two clones from wheat, Triticum aestivum, and four from non-cultivated hosts other than Agropyron spp. A partitioning of populations by mtDNA haplotype and host suggests the occurrence of host adapted races in Schizaphis graminum.

Animals↗

Analysis of non-adhesive pathogenic mechanisms of BAD1 on Blastomyces dermatitidis.

The adhesin BAD1 is required for virulence of Blastomyces dermatitidis in a pulmonary model of infection. Herein, we explored mechanisms by which BAD1 enhances pathogenicity of the fungus. Isogenic strains with and without BAD1 exhibited similar phenotypic differences in virulence by pulmonary and intravenous routes of infection, indicating that BAD1 may exert virulence beyond adherence to respiratory lining cells. Non-adhesive mechanisms including maintenance of intrinsic resistance of yeast against phagocyte responses and products were excluded. A shift in the balance of type 1 and 2 cytokines and in the cellular profile of the inflammatory response after the first week of pulmonary infection was associated with BAD1. By the second week of infection, infection with wild-type yeast was associated with less IL-12 and IFN-gamma, and more IL-10, and an influx of inflammatory cells rich in neutrophils and poor in T-cells, when compared to infection with the BAD1 null strain. Taken together with previously reported BAD1 perturbations of TNF-gamma and TGF-beta, these data suggest that BAD1 contributes significantly to the pathogenicity of B. dermatitidis by also deviating host adaptive immunity, and leukocyte responses.

Animals↗

Macrophages genetically resistant to mouse hepatitis virus converted in vitro to susceptible macrophages.

Genetic resistance to mouse hepatitis, which resides largely in the macrophages of resistant C3H mice, may be altered by exposing the cells in vitro to fluid from allogeneic mixed lymphocytes. A 1,000-fold increase in susceptibility was produced in these genetically resistant cells by exposure to this fluid. This presumed lymphokine was effective without producing any change in host adaption of the virus.

Animals↗

Downregulation of Th1 cytokine production accompanies induction of Th2 responses by a parasitic helminth, Schistosoma mansoni.

In the mouse, infection with Schistosoma mansoni results in an egg-producing infection and associated disease, whereas vaccination with attenuated larval stages produces a substantial and specific immunity in the absence of egg-induced pathology. Preliminary data showing enhanced interleukin-5 (IL-5) production by T cells from infected mice and interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) synthesis by cells from vaccinated animals (7), suggested differential CD4+ subset stimulation by the different parasite stimuli. To confirm this hypothesis, lymphocytes from vaccinated or infected animals were compared for their ability to produce IFN-gamma and IL-2 (secreted by Th1 cells) as compared with IL-4 and IL-5 (characteristic Th2 cytokines). After stimulation with specific antigen or mitogen, T cells from vaccinated mice or prepatently infected animals responded primarily with Th1 lymphokines, whereas lymphocytes from patently infected mice instead produced Th2 cytokines. The Th2 response in infected animals was shown to be induced by schistosome eggs and directed largely against egg antigens, whereas the Th1 reactivity in vaccinated mice was triggered primarily by larval antigens. Interestingly, Th1 responses in mice carrying egg-producing infections were found to be profoundly downregulated. Moreover, the injection of eggs into vaccinated mice resulted in a reduction of antigen and mitogen-stimulated Th1 function accompanied by a coincident expression of Th2 responses. Together, the data suggest that coincident with the induction of Th2 responses, murine schistosome infection results in an inhibition of potentially protective Th1 function. This previously unrecognized downregulation of Th1 cytokine production may be an important immunological consequence of helminth infection related to host adaptation.

Animals↗

Identification of a chlamydial protease-like activity factor responsible for the degradation of host transcription factors.

Microbial pathogens have been selected for the capacity to evade or manipulate host responses in order to survive after infection. Chlamydia, an obligate intracellular pathogen and the causative agent for many human diseases, can escape T lymphocyte immune recognition by degrading host transcription factors required for major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigen expression. We have now identified a chlamydial protease- or proteasome-like activity factor (CPAF) that is secreted into the host cell cytosol and that is both necessary and sufficient for the degradation of host transcription factors RFX5 and upstream stimulation factor 1 (USF-1). The CPAF gene is highly conserved among chlamydial strains, but has no significant overall homology with other known genes. Thus, CPAF represents a unique secreted protein produced by an obligate intracellular bacterial pathogen to interfere with effective host adaptive immunity.

Cell-Free System↗

Protective and arthritis-resolving activity in sera of mice infected with Borrelia burgdorferi.

Transfer of immune serum from immunocompetent mice infected with B. burgdorferi protects mice against syringe challenge, and transfer of immune serum after infection is established induces arthritis resolution but does not clear infection or spirochetemia or resolve carditis. Immune serum had very-high-titer passive protective activity against syringe challenge but failed to protect mice against host-adapted spirochetes when they were challenged with infected tissue transplants. Mice were passively immunized at selected intervals relative to challenge inoculation with antisera to recombinant forms of an immunodominant region of flagellin, P39, and OspC (which are recognized by immune serum), but none provided protection or modified existing infection or disease. Results suggest that spirochetes within joints, but not in other tissues, are selectively vulnerable to immune serum and that immune serum appears to contain antibody against yet-to-be-identified antigens that may be selectively expressed in the context of joint tissue.

Animals↗

Modifying adenoviral vectors for use as gene-based cancer vaccines.

The past decade has produced significant advances in our understanding of antigen-presenting cells, tumor antigens, and other components of the immune response to cancer. Gene-based vaccination is emerging as one of the more promising approaches for loading dendritic cells (DC) with tumor-associated antigens. In this respect, it is proposed that adenoviral (AdV) vectors can deliver high antigen concentrations, promote effective processing and MHC expression, and stimulate potent cell-mediated immunity. While AdV vectors have performed well in pre-clinical vaccine models, their application to patient care has limitations. The in vivo administration of AdV vectors is associated with both innate and adaptive host responses that result in tissue inflammation and injury, viral neutralization, and premature clearance of AdV-transduced cells. A variety of strategies have been developed to address these limitations. The ideal vaccine would avoid vector-related immune responses, have relative specificity for transducing DC, and induce high levels of transgene expression. This review describes the range of host responses to AdV vaccines, identifies strategies to reduce viral recognition and enhance transgene antigen expression, and suggests future approaches to vector development and administration. There is every reason to believe that safer and more effective forms of AdV-based vaccines can be developed and applied to patient therapy.

Adenoviruses, Human↗

Primary and recombinant HIV type 1 strains resistant to protease inhibitors are pathogenic in mature human lymphoid tissues.

Preserved peripheral CD4+ T cell counts despite virologic failure in patients undergoing protease inhibitor (PI)-containing antiviral regimens are a frequent occurrence in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease. One hypothesis to explain the relative sparing of CD4+ T cells is that HIV strains exhibiting PI resistance concomitantly are attenuated in terms of cytopathicity for mature T cells. To test this hypothesis, we used a three-dimensional human tonsil histoculture microenvironment to assess the pathogenic potential of a panel of primary and recombinant HIV-1 strains derived from patients experiencing PI failure. All the viruses tested replicated efficiently in these cultures and, in some cases, better than comparable wild-type viral isolates. Furthermore, the PI-resistant strains depleted CD4+ T cells potently and comparably with wild-type isolates in these ex vivo lymphoid tissues. These results demonstrate that PI-resistant viruses are not inherently less pathogenic for mature T cells. Therefore, the sustained peripheral lymphocyte counts in patients with selective virologic failure may be due to specific defects in viral replication in other cell compartments or to an undefined host adaptation to viral infection during PI therapy.

CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes↗

Adenoviral vectors for gene replacement therapy.

Adenovirus-based vectors are promising vehicles for gene replacement therapy due to their ability to efficiently transduce a wide variety of proliferating and non-proliferating cells. Over the past decade, different versions of adenoviral vectors (Ads) have been developed. These vectors can be classified into two major categories, based on whether the viral coding sequences are partially (first or second-generation Ads) or completely deleted (helper-dependent or gutted Ads). Both types of Ads have been tested in a variety of gene delivery studies, and major obstacles to their clinical application have been identified. Currently, innate and adaptive host immune responses to Ads remain major challenges, limiting both the initial viral dose and the effectiveness of subsequent administrations. Recent developments in vector design and delivery methods have improved the potential of Ads for successful gene therapy application.

Adenoviridae↗

Cell-mediated immune response to human T-lymphotropic virus type I.

Human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) is a retrovirus that causes persistent infection in many populations in tropical and subtropical regions. HTLV-I chronically activates the cell-mediated arm of the host adaptive immune response. There has been much debate about the role of the immune response in determining the outcome of HTLV-I infection: most seropositive individuals remain lifelong asymptomatic carriers of the virus, whereas a small proportion-usually those with higher equilibrium proviral loads-develop an inflammatory disease of the central nervous system known as HAM/TSP. Here we discuss the cell-mediated immune response to HTLV-I infection. We summarize recent data on the HTLV-I-specific CD4(+) cell response and explore its potential role in HAM/TSP pathogenesis. We also explore the controversy surrounding the role of the CD8(+) cell response in controlling HTLV-I infection and/or contributing to HAM/TSP disease, highlighting recent studies of T cell gene expression profiles and a newly developed assay of CD8(+) cell functional efficiency. Finally, we introduce a possible role for cellular innate immune effectors in HTLV-I infection.

CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes↗

Escherichia coli enterotoxin: purification, partial characterization, and immunological observations.

Enterotoxin, a diarrhea-inducing protein elaborated by pathogenic Escherichia coli strains, was isolated from the supernate of fermenter cultures of E. coli strain P263, a porcine enteropathogen. Purification involved chromatography and preparative isotachophoresis. The resulting product appeared to be pure according to immunoelectrophoretic, disc electrophoretic, ultracentrifugal, and immunologic criteria. The enterotoxin had an apparent molecular weight of 102,000 daltons, and its isoelectric point was 6.90. The isolated product was active in inducing experimental diarrhea in adult rabbits and piglets. In small dosage it also elicited a drastic increase in adenylate cyclase activity in broken-cell preparations of cat heart tissue. The enterotoxin activity was acid labile and was destroyed by heat (65 C for 30 min). It is suggested that the heat-stable enterotoxin was derived from heat-labile enterotoxin by complexing with endotoxin or with capsular material in the culture supernatant. The antigenic relations between the heat-labile enterotoxins of enteropathogenic E. coli strains of different serological types and different host adaptations, as well as between the E. coli enterotoxin and that of Vibrio cholerae, were investigated.

Animals↗

Genome plasticity and ori-ter rebalancing in Salmonella typhi.

Genome plasticity resulting from frequent rearrangement of the bacterial genome is a fascinating but poorly understood phenomenon. First reported in Salmonella typhi, it has been observed only in a small number of Salmonella serovars, although the over 2,500 known Salmonella serovars are all very closely related. To gain insights into this phenomenon and elucidate its roles in bacterial evolution, especially those involved in the formation of particular pathogens, we systematically analyzed the genomes of 127 wild-type S. typhi strains isolated from many places of the world and compared them with the two sequenced strains, Ty2 and CT18, attempting to find possible associations between genome rearrangement and other significant genomic features. Like other host-adapted Salmonella serovars, S. typhi contained large genome insertions, including the 134 kb Salmonella pathogenicity island, SPI7. Our analyses showed that SPI7 disrupted the physical balance of the bacterial genome between the replication origin (ori) and terminus (ter) when this DNA segment was inserted into the genome, and rearrangement in individual strains further changed the genome balance status, with a general tendency toward a better balanced genome structure. In a given S. typhi strain, genome diversification occurred and resulted in different structures among cells in the culture. Under a stressed condition, bacterial cells with better balanced genome structures were selected to greatly increase in proportion; in such cases, bacteria with better balanced genomes formed larger colonies and grew with shorter generation times. Our results support the hypothesis that genome plasticity as a result of frequent rearrangement provides the opportunity for the bacterial genome to adopt a better balanced structure and thus eventually stabilizes the genome during evolution.

Evolution, Molecular↗

Toward simple, rapid, and deep plant proteome analysis with an in-cell proteomics strategy.

While liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LCMS) has revolutionized plant proteomics over the past decade, plant sample preparation remains a major challenge due to rigid cell walls, abundant secondary metabolites, and wide dynamic range of protein abundance. These hurdles demand laborious tissue disruption, complex precipitation, and extensive cleanup prior to LCMS analysis, limiting the widespread adoption of proteomic technologies within the plant biology community. To overcome these barriers, we introduced an "in-cell proteomics" strategy that bypasses cell lysis and protein extraction by performing digestion directly inside methanol-fixed cells. We systematically benchmarked this strategy against conventional lysate-based workflows across 4 model plants (Arabidopsis thaliana, Nicotiana benthamiana, Zea mays, and Sorghum bicolor) and 3 tissue types (leaves, pollen, and seeds). Combined with minimal input material and single-shot LCMS, the in-cell approach consistently identified 9,000 to 12,000 proteins from leaves, 7,000 to 9,000 from pollen grains, and approximately 8,000 from seeds. Our comprehensive dataset demonstrates that this in-cell digestion approach substantially simplifies plant sample preparation while delivering proteomic performance equivalent to established workflows. Finally, to demonstrate the biological utility of this approach, we characterized the proteomes of N. benthamiana leaves infected with 2 fungal strains that exhibit different host specificities. Our in-depth proteomic data revealed distinct host response signatures differentiating the host-adapted Colletotrichum destructivum from the nonhost-adapted Colletotrichum sublineola strain. Overall, this study provides a simple, unbiased alternative for plant proteomic analysis that can be readily applied to tackle complex agricultural and physiological challenges in plant biology.

Proteomics↗

Sequelae of chorioamnionitis.

Chorioamnionitis correlates to preterm delivery prior to 30 weeks of gestation. In most studies, proxies of intrauterine infection (clinical chorioamnionitis, histological chorioamnionitis, intra-amniotic increase in cytokines) are associated with acute neonatal morbidity and mortality and, at least to some degree, with neurological impairments (periventricular leukomalacia, intraventricular hemorrhage, cerebral palsy, polymicrogyria), chronic lung disease, and involution of the thymus in the preterm infant. The connection to visual impairment and cognitive deficits is uncertain or unknown. Full-term babies exposed to intrauterine infection often present with depressed Apgar scores and neonatal encephalopathy, and are at markedly increased risk of developing cerebral palsy. The infectious/inflammatory mechanisms involved are incompletely understood, and the types of microbes, as well as the genetic characteristics of the host adaptive and innate immune response, need to be better characterized.

Central Nervous System Diseases↗