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Marked improvement of thrombocytopenia in a murine model of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura by pegylated recombinant human megakaryocyte growth and development factor.

OBJECTIVE: We examined the stimulatory effect of pegylated recombinant human megakaryocyte growth and development factor (PEG-rHuMGDF) on platelet production in male (NZW x BXSB) F(l) (W/B F(1)) mice, a murine model of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cohort of 19- to 25-week-old, severely thrombocytopenic male W/B F(1) mice were given PEG-rHuMGDF at different dosing schedules. Before and at various times after therapy, platelet counts, reticulated platelets, platelet lifespan, and levels of platelet-associated immunoglobulin G were measured. Analysis of megakaryocytic cells was performed. RESULTS: Treatment of male W/B F(1) mice with PEG-rHuMGDF (30 microg/kg/day) three times per week for several weeks resulted in sustained thrombocytosis, accompanied by increased megakaryocytopoiesis in both the bone marrow and spleen. The degree of the platelet response to PEG-rHuMGDF varied between individual mice, likely reflecting the heterogeneity of the disease. Production of new platelets in response to PEG-rHuMGDF was manifested by an increase in reticulated platelets. Levels of platelet-associated immunoglobulin G decreased inversely during periods of thrombocytosis. PEG-rHuMGDF therapy also improved thrombocytopenia in male W/B F(1) mice refractory to splenectomy. Platelet lifespan was not affected by PEG-rHuMGDF. Male W/B F(1) mice treated with pegylated murine MGDF, a homologue of PEG-rHuMGDF, had persistent thrombocytosis for at least 7 months, suggesting that antiplatelet antibody production was not enhanced. CONCLUSIONS: PEG-rHuMGDF therapy potently stimulated platelet production, effectively ameliorating thrombocytopenia in a murine model of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura.

Animals↗

Modulation of growth factors by growth hormone in children with chronic renal failure. The Southwest Pediatric Nephrology Study Group.

Anthropometric measurements and circulating growth factors were studied serially in 44 prepubertal children with growth failure and chronic renal failure (GFR = 10 to 40 ml/min/1.73 m2) who were randomized to receive either recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH; N = 30) or no treatment (N = 14). RhGH was given as Nutropin, 0.05 mg/kg/day, and the studies were carried out at baseline and after 3 and 12 months. At baseline, serum insulin-like growth factor binding protein (IGFBP)-1 and -2 levels were, while IGFBP-3 levels were not, higher than those of children with normal renal function. In addition, height SDS at baseline correlated inversely with serum IGFBP-2 levels (r = -0.461, P = 0.0016), but did not correlate significantly with any other factor. After 12 months of study, the 30 children receiving rhGH showed: (i) greater increase in height (9.1 +/- 2.8 vs. 5.5 +/- 1.9 cm, P < 0.0001); (ii) increases in serum levels of IGF-I, IGF-II, free IGF-I, IGFBP-3 and acid labile subunit (ALS); (iii) a greater decrease in serum IGFBP-1 levels; and (iv) no significant difference in serum IGFBP-2 levels, when compared to the 14 control patients. The change in height SDS after 12 months of rhGH (+0.8) in the 30 treated children correlated significantly and positively with serum ALS, IGFBP-3, total IGF, IGF-I, IGF-II and free IGF-I levels measured during treatment. These observations suggest that, in children with growth failure associated with chronic renal failure: (i) IGFBP-2, and not IGFBP-3, is likely to be a growth inhibitor; (ii) rhGH stimulates catch-up growth in part by increasing serum levels of IGF peptides; and (iii) linear growth is influenced by the balance between growth stimulating IGFs and growth inhibitory IGFBPs.

Age Determination by Skeleton↗

C-C chemokines differentially alter interleukin-4 production from lymphocytes.

The expression of cytokines can dictate the intensity, chronicity, and type of immune/inflammatory response that is produced. These events may be regulated by accumulation of particular cell populations at a site of immune response that can be regulated by the expression of specific chemokines. Recent data have indicated that chemokines also have direct effects on cellular activation. In particular, T lymphocyte responses have been divided into two distinct phenotypes, designated by TH1- and TH2-type cytokine expression. Although it is recognized that divergent T-lymphocyte-derived cytokine phenotypes exist, the mechanisms that dictate the expression of these cytokines and ultimately the division of these immune responses is not entirely clear. In the present study, we present data that the C-C chemokine family members may be a factor influencing the direction of T-cell-derived lymphokine production. To elucidate the role of C-C chemokines, MIP-1 alpha and MCP-1, we have used both antigen-specific (schistosomal egg antigen (SEA)) and nonspecific (conconavalin (Con) A) stimuli. Using TH2-type lymphocyte populations from SEA-sensitized mice, a significant increase in IL-4 mRNA expression and protein production was observed when MCP-1 was added to the culture. Conversely, MIP-1 alpha treatment appeared to decrease interleukin (IL)-4 production. Interestingly, the proliferative response in the TH2-type (SEA-specific) response was up-regulated by MIP-1 alpha whereas MCP-1 down-regulated the response, inversely correlating with IL-4 production. Primary stimulation of naive lymphocytes with Con A induces a predominant interferon (IFN)-gamma response, whereas the second stimulation of the same lymphocytes with Con A induces both IFN-gamma and IL-4. When the two C-C chemokines were individually co-incubated with Con-A-stimulated lymphocytes, both up-regulated IFN-gamma production and proliferation during the primary stimulation. Similarly, in the secondary response, both chemokines further upregulated IFN-gamma production; however, only MCP-1 co-stimulation increased IL-4 production, whereas MIP-1 alpha significantly decreased IL-4 production in these same cell populations. These results were also reflected in steady-state levels of mRNA expression. These results suggest that the production of C-C chemokines (MCP-1 or MIP-1 alpha) during an immune response may aid in determining the type of cytokines produced and the level of lymphocyte activation during a particular response.

Animals↗

Comparison of production of choriogonadotropin inhibitory protein, prolactin and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 by human decidua in vitro.

We have previously demonstrated that human decidua produces a protein (decidual choriogonadotropin inhibitory protein, DCIP) that inhibits human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) secretion from primary trophoblasts and JEG-3 choriocarcinoma cells. The present study was undertaken to examine the relationship of DCIP production to that of cell protein, prolactin (PRL) and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1). Term decidual cells, isolated from placental membranes by enzyme digestion and density gradient centrifugation, were incubated for 12 days in serum-free CMRL-1066 medium which was changed daily. At the end of each experiment the DCIP in the decidual culture medium was measured by bioassay: the percentage reduction, from control, of hCG production by JEG-3 cells exposed to 30% DCIP-containing decidual culture medium. Prolactin, IGFBP-1 and hCG were measured by radioimmunoassay. The DCIP activity was maximal during the first 3 days in culture. The bioactivity of decidual culture medium collected after the 5th day of culture gradually decreased and medium obtained from the final day of culture actually stimulated hCG secretion in the bioassay. Decidual cell protein gradually declined from 100% on day 1 to 56% on the last day of culture. The concentrations of protein, PRL and IGFBP-1 in the decidual culture medium gradually decreased during the first 4-6 days, followed by a rise. In contrast, glucose increased with time in culture. Production of PRL, IGFBP-1 and decidual culture medium protein exhibited a significant quadratic effect over the 12 days in culture. There was a negative relationship between decidual cell protein and glucose (r = -0.95) and a positive correlation between cell protein and protein in the decidual culture medium (r = 0.58). The DCIP activity was related to cell protein (r = 0.39), protein concentration in decidual culture medium (r = 0.36), and inversely related to the glucose level (r = -0.41). There was no relationship between DCIP activity and PRL or IGFBP-1. These results indicate that maximal DCIP production occurs during the first several days in short-term culture of decidual cells and is related to decidual-cell viability. As decidual-cell viability decreases, there is less glucose consumption in the decidual culture medium and the higher glucose levels may be responsible for the stimulatory effect of medium collected at the end of the study on JEG-3 hCG secretion.

Biological Assay↗

Dynamic DNA methylation change in the CpG island region of p15 during human myeloid development.

We examined the kenetics of p15 methylation and expression during myeloid development. We treated human cord blood CD34+ cells with either GM-CSF alone or in combination with stem cell factor and followed methylation at this locus using bisulfite genomic sequencing. CD34+ cells were found to be either fully methylated or completely unmethylated at 27 CpG dinucleotide sites in exon 1 and at 18 CpG sites in the promoter region of the p15 gene. A time-course study showed that the percentage of the allelic methylation of p15 CpG island increased to approximately 50% to 60% until 7 days after cytokine stimulation, then decreased to less than 10% after 21 days. The methylation was also observed in bone marrow CD34+ cells exposed to GM-CSF. p15 expression varied inversely with methylation. Expression was negligible or at low levels until 14 days, after which it increased substantially. The frequency of myeloid colony-forming cells in the progeny decreased and myeloid-specific markers increased in the later stages. Based on our observations on cells grown with GM-CSF and 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine, DNA methylation of the p15 promoter region CpG island appears to be associated with proliferation rather than differentiation of normal human myeloid progenitors.

Alleles↗

Cholecystokinin rapidly stimulates CrkII function in vivo in rat pancreatic acini. Formation of CrkII-protein complexes.

Crk belongs to a family of adapter proteins whose structure allows interaction with tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins and is therefore an important modulator of downstream signals, representing a convergence of the actions of numerous stimuli. Recently, it was demonstrated that cholecystokinin (CCK) induced tyrosine phosphorylation of proteins related to fiber stress formation in rat pancreatic acini. Here, we investigated whether CCK receptor activation signals through CrkII and forms complexes with tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins in rat pancreatic acini. We demonstrated that CCK promoted the transient formation of CrkII-paxillin and CrkII-p130Cas complexes with maximal effect at 1 min. Additionally, CCK decreased the electrophoretic mobility of CrkII. This decrease was time- and concentration-dependent and inversely related with its function. Carbachol and bombesin also decreased CrkII electrophoretic mobility, whereas epidermal growth factor, vasoactive intestinal peptide, secretin or pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide had no effect. CCK-induced CrkII electrophoretic shift was dependent on the Src family of tyrosine kinases and occurred in the intact animal, suggesting a physiological role of CrkII mediating CCK actions in the exocrine pancreas in vivo.

Animals↗

GLUT-4 and GLUT-1 glucose transporter expression is differentially regulated by contractile activity in skeletal muscle.

Mammalian skeletal muscle expresses GLUT-4 and GLUT-1 glucose transporters. Here, we have investigated whether GLUT-1 and GLUT-4 expression is regulated in muscle by contractile activity. GLUT-1 mRNA levels were high in skeletal muscle at days 16 and 17 of fetal life and decreased markedly by days 19 and 21. In contrast, GLUT-4 mRNA levels were clearly detectable at day 21 of fetal life, and they increased progressively during postnatal life. The timing data for GLUT-4 induction and GLUT-1 repression suggest that these processes are related to skeletal muscle innervation. GLUT-4 mRNA decreased markedly in adult rat and rabbit tibialis anterior muscle after severage of peroneal nerve. In contrast, GLUT-1 mRNA levels showed a 9-fold increase in rat muscle 3 days after denervation. Direct stimulation of rabbit tibialis anterior muscle with extracellular electrodes protected GLUT-4 mRNA levels against the effect of denervation. This indicates that the repression of GLUT-4 mRNA associated with denervation is due, at least in part, to electrical activity. Increased contractile activity induced for 24 h by indirect electrical stimulation at low frequency caused a marked and specific increase in GLUT-1 mRNA levels in rabbit tibialis anterior muscle. Our results indicate that (a) innervation-dependent basal contractile activity regulates in an inverse manner the expression of GLUT-1 and GLUT-4 in skeletal muscle, and (b) enhanced contractile activity stimulates GLUT-1 expression in the absence of modifications to GLUT-4 expression. This suggests the existence of different factors which depend on contractile activity and which control GLUT-1 and GLUT-4 glucose transporter expression in skeletal muscle.

Animals↗

Tumor necrosis factor in renal injury.

Inflammatory diseases of the renal glomerulus and tubulointerstitium are characterized by destructive and restorative processes. These alterations are mediated by soluble molecules, including cytokines that instruct target cells to alter their proliferation, differentiation phenotype, secretion and migration. One of these cytokines is tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF alpha). Its expression within the glomerulus has been observed in both resident cells and infiltrating monocytes/macrophages in response to cell stimulation with chemicals, immune complexes, bacterial lipopolysaccharides, and advanced glycosylation end products. Its release can be amplified by deposits of terminal complement proteins (C5b-9) or formation of platelet-activating factor and reactive oxygen species, and, on the contrary, blunted by that of prostaglandins or anti-inflammatory interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-10. The roles of TNF alpha in the pathogenesis of glomerular diseases include reduction of blood flow and filtration rate, alteration of the barrier function of capillary wall, formation of capillary thrombi and infiltration of the structure by blood-borne cells. Expression of TNF alpha has been observed in tubulointerstitium as well, mainly in proximal tubular epithelial cells. In vitro, this expression can be amplified by IL-1 and, inversely, suppressed by immunosuppressive drugs. Roles of TNF alpha in tubulointerstitium remain largely undefined, but may include infiltration of the interstitium by inflammatory cells and alteration in tubular transport of fluid and electrolytes. Extensive study will be necessary to further elucidate intracellular signals induced by TNF alpha binding to target cells within the kidney and thus to establish possibilities of therapeutic intervention.

Animals↗

Analysis of c-kit expression of human erythroleukemia cell line, HEL: clonal variation and relationship with erythroid and megakaryocytic phenotype.

The proto-oncogene c-kit encodes the receptor for a stem cell factor. We examined HEL, a human erythroleukemia cell line, in order to clarify the correlation between the c-kit receptor (KR) expression and lineage-specific phenotype. Although HEL cells are known to express KR, we found two relatively distinct HEL cell populations in terms of KR expression. We then subcloned HEL cell lines with clone sorting on the basis of KR expression and compared their various characteristics. The highly KR-expressing subline, HEL-P1, expressed a high level of glycophorin A (GPA), a known erythroid lineage marker. HEL-N1, in which most of the cells were KR-negative, showed a higher megakaryocytic lineage marker CD41b expression than HEL-P1. However, the expression of granulomonocytic lineage markers were not significantly different between the two subclones. Cell growth rate and cell cycle analysis also did not detect significant differences between the sublines. HEL-P1 cells gradually lost their KR expression in serum-containing culture, while the percentage of KR-positive HEL-N1 cells increased in serum-free culture. These observations indicate that KR expression was associated with the synchronous expression of GPA and inversely correlated with CD41b, and reversible transitions between KR-positive cells and KR-negative cells exist. We suggest that KR plays an important part in commitment of erythroid and megakaryocytic precursor cells.

Antigens, CD↗

Reduction of serum testosterone levels during chronic glucocorticoid therapy.

The effect of chronic glucocorticoid therapy on serum testosterone levels was studied in men aged 67 +/- 4 (SD) years with chronic pulmonary disease. The serum testosterone level was reduced in 14 of 16 patients to a mean value of 211 +/- 93 ng/dL, compared with 449 +/- 111 ng/dL in 11 age- and disease-matched control patients (p less than 0.001). The corticosteroid dosage and the serum testosterone level were inversely related (r = -0.78). Testosterone binding to serum proteins was not significantly affected. Basal gonadotrophin levels were not elevated while their secretory responses to exogenous gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) were intact. We conclude that glucocorticoid therapy commonly reduces serum testosterone levels in older men due to alteration of hypothalamic GnRH secretion.

Aged↗

Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) reduces the density of stem cell factor receptors (c-kit oncogene product) on a GM-CSF-dependent human myeloid cell line.

By employing a monoclonal antibody against the stem cell factor receptor (SCF-R), c-kit oncogene product, we analysed in flow cytometric technique the density of SCF-R on GM/SO cells which were incubated under various culture conditions. These experiments revealed that there is an inverse correlation between the SCF-R density on the cells and the doses of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) in culture medium; the lower the dose, the higher the density of SCF-R on the cells. More detailed analyses showed that, in contrast to SCF which rapidly downregulates its own receptor, GM-CSF does not alter the measurable level of SCF-R in an exposition period of 60 minutes, which suggests that the internalization or shedding of the receptor is not the mechanism of action. Since the most striking difference regarding density of SCF-R between GM-CSF-treated and untreated cells was observed on day 2, the modulation of c-kit oncogene protein by GM-CSF likely occur prior to expression of protein onto the cell surface. In order to exclude the possibility that altered cell viability due to insufficient GM-CSF content in culture medium might be responsible for the increased SCF-R densities on GM-CSF-dependent cells, we subsequently generated a GM-CSF-independent subclone which still responded to GM-CSF as well as the dependent did. The experiments carried out with this subclone confirmed the results presented above. Thus our data suggest that GM-CSF is directly involved in the regulation of SCF receptor density on GM/SO cells.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Lack of interferon consensus sequence binding protein (ICSBP) transcripts in human myeloid leukemias.

Interferon consensus sequence binding protein (ICSBP) was first identified as a transcription factor of the interferon (IFN) regulatory factor family (IRF) which regulates expression of IFN-dependent genes by binding to DNA at specific sites, IFN-stimulated responsive elements. Analysis of ICSBP-deficient mice showed hematologic alterations similar to chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) in humans and suggested a novel role for ICSBP in regulating proliferation and differentiation of hematopoietic progenitor cells. Here we show that ICSBP-mRNA expression is impaired in human myeloid leukemias: 27 of 34 CML patients (79%) and 21 of 32 patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) (66%) showed very low or absent transcript numbers of ICSBP. In contrast, only 2 of 33 normal volunteers (6%) showed low transcription of ICSBP (P < . 0001 both for CML and AML values). The lack of expression was not associated with lack of lymphatic cells, which normally have been shown to express ICSBP at the highest level. More detailed analysis showed an absence of ICSBP-mRNA also in sorted B cells derived from CML patients. To analyze whether ICSBP may be induced in leukemic cells, ex vivo experiments using a known inducer of ICSBP, IFN-gamma, were performed. Ex vivo treatment of primary CML cells using IFN-gamma resulted in induction of ICSBP transcripts. Furthermore, samples of CML patients during IFN-alpha treatment were analyzed. In 11 of 12 CML patients ICSBP-mRNA was inducible upon in vivo treatment with IFN-alpha, but decreased with progression of CML. Stable transfection of K-562 cell line with ICSBP led to no difference in bcr-abl expression in vitro, although two patients showed an inverse correlation between bcr-abl and ICSBP in vivo. These data suggest that lack of ICSBP may have an important role also in human myeloid leukemogenesis.

Chronic Disease↗

Nutritional regulation of insulin-like growth factor-binding protein gene expression in the ovine fetus and pregnant ewe.

The factors controlling the synthesis and degradation of the insulin-like growth factor-binding proteins (IGFBPs) during pregnancy are poorly understood. To clarify the roles of nutritional factors in the regulation of fetal and maternal IGFBP production, we examined the effects of fasting, refeeding, and glucose administration on plasma IGFBP concentrations and hepatic IGFBP mRNA levels in fetal lambs and pregnant ewes (n = 24). Maternal fasting for 3 days in late gestation stimulated a 50-100% increase in maternal plasma BP-1 concentrations (P < 0.05) and a 2- to 3-fold increase in fetal plasma BP-1 (P < 0.05), as determined by densitometric analysis of Western ligand blots. Fasting also stimulated a 40-70% increase in maternal plasma BP-2 concentrations (P < 0.05), but had no significant effect on fetal plasma BP-2 levels. Levels of hepatic BP-1 mRNA in the fetus and pregnant ewe during fasting paralleled plasma BP-1 levels, suggesting that fasting modulates fetal and maternal plasma BP concentrations at least in part through effects on hepatic gene expression. The effects of fasting on both mRNA and plasma levels of BP-1 and BP-2 were reversed by 3 days of refeeding and were prevented by glucose infusion during fasting. When ewes were made hyperglycemic by the infusion of hypertonic glucose, plasma BP-1 and BP-2 concentrations varied inversely with blood glucose concentrations. In addition, hyperglycemia reduced maternal liver BP-1 and BP-2 mRNA levels and fetal BP-1 mRNA levels by 50-65%. Direct administration of hypertonic glucose to the fetus decreased fetal plasma BP-1 levels acutely and reduced fetal BP-1 mRNA levels by 57%, but had no effect on fetal plasma BP-2 or fetal hepatic BP-2 mRNA levels. These findings indicate that glucose and other nutritional factors regulate gene expression and plasma levels of BP-1 and BP-2 in the pregnant ewe and BP-1 in the fetal lamb. The changes in expression of these IGFBPs during fasting and hyperglycemia may play roles in adaptation of the pregnant mother and fetus to metabolic stress.

Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena↗

Insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-1 in umbilical artery and vein of term fetuses with signs suggestive of distress during labor.

Insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1) is believed to be an inhibitory factor for fetal growth. The regulation of IGFBP-1 secretion in the fetus is uncertain, although insulin and oxygen tension (PO2) and saturation are thought to play a role. We studied IGFBP-1 levels in umbilical cord artery (UA) and vein (UV) of 98 singleton fetuses at term with clinical signs of distress during labor, i.e. meconium-stained liquor or/and an abnormal fetal heart rate tracing. Blood gas values and serum C-peptide and IGFBP-1 concentrations were measured in both UA and UV. Twenty-five fetuses had an UA pH<7.20. The concentrations of IGFBP-1 were similar in UA and UV and were highly correlated (r=0.98). IGFBP-1 levels were inversely correlated with birth weight, with increased concentrations in small-for-gestational age fetuses (< or =10th weight percentile). IGFBP-1 levels were negatively correlated with C-peptide concentrations, and remained so after correction for birth weight (r=-0.37 for both UA and UV; P<0.001); more specifically, IGFBP-1 levels were increased in the lowest C-peptide quartile (<0.23 nmol/l) compared with the other quartiles. In addition, IGFBP-1 levels were inversely correlated with PO(2) values (r=-0.39 in UA and r=-0.34 in UV; P<0.001); quartiles of UA and UV PO2 showed a gradual increase in IGFBP-1 concentrations with lower PO2 values. A regression model with C-peptide and PO2 values as independent variables predicted IGFBP-1 concentrations (R2 of model was 0.25 and 0.22 for UA and UV respectively; P<0.001). Other blood gas values (pH, PCO2, HCO3- and base deficit) did not correlate with IGFBP-1 levels. The data of this study indicate that serum IGFBP-1 levels in term fetuses are determined by both insulin and PO2 levels, and suggest that acute hypoxemia stimulates IGFBP-1 secretion in the fetus.

Analysis of Variance↗

Interleukin-10 upregulates tumor necrosis factor receptor type-II (p75) gene expression in endotoxin-stimulated human monocytes.

Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) upregulates expression of certain genes in monocytes, including cell-surface molecules such as HLA class II, B7, and ICAM-1. IFN-gamma also potentiates production of cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) and IL-12. Conversely, IL-10 downregulates expression of many of these same genes and often antagonizes the effects of IFN-gamma. IL-10 is known to inhibit TNF-alpha production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated monocytes; however, the effects of IL-10 on TNF receptor (TNF-R) expression are not well defined. We examined the effects of IL-10 on production of both membrane-associated (m) and soluble (s) TNF-R type II (sTNF-RII) by purified human CD14(+) monocytes. We also compared the effects of IFN-gamma and IL-10 on production of TNF-alpha and sTNF-RII by these cells. Monocytes constitutively expressed low levels of TNF-RII mRNA and mTNF-RII protein. LPS stimulation induced rapid, but transient loss (shedding) of mTNF-RII molecules and a delayed, but marked increase in TNF-RII mRNA levels. IL-10 increased expression of both mTNF-RII and sTNF-RII by LPS-stimulated monocytes, whereas IFN-gamma decreased their expression. The increased levels of sTNF-RII in cultures of IL-10-treated monocytes correlated directly with increased levels of TNF-RII mRNA and inversely with the levels of TNF-alpha mRNA. The ability of IL-10 to upregulate TNF-RII gene expression was transcriptionally mediated because actinomycin D blocked this effect. Furthermore, IL-10 treatment did not alter the half-life of TNF-RII mRNA transcripts in LPS-stimulated monocytes. To further examine the mechanism by which IL-10 potentiates TNF-RII gene expression, a 1.8-kb fragment of the human TNF-RII promoter cloned into a luciferase expression vector (pGL2-basic) was transfected into the IL-10-responsive macrophage cell line, RAW264.7. Although IL-10 alone induced only minimal promoter activity in these cells, it markedly increased the LPS-induced response, providing further evidence that the ability of IL-10 to amplify TNF-RII gene expression is transcriptionally controlled. Together, these findings demonstrate that IL-10 coordinately downregulates expression of TNF-alpha and upregulates expression of TNF-RII, particularly the soluble form of this receptor, in monocytes.

Cell Adhesion Molecules↗

Role of the p21 cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor in limiting intimal cell proliferation in response to arterial injury.

Arterial injury induces a series of proliferative, vasoactive, and inflammatory responses that lead to vascular proliferative diseases, including atherosclerosis and restenosis. Although several factors have been defined which stimulate this process in vivo, the role of specific cellular gene products in limiting this response is not well understood. The p21 cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor affects cell cycle progression, senescence, and differentiation in transformed cells, but its expression in injured blood vessels has not been investigated. In this study, we report that p21 protein is induced in porcine arteries following balloon catheter injury and suggest that p21 is likely to play a role in limiting arterial cell proliferation in vivo. Vascular endothelial and smooth muscle cell growth was arrested through the ability of p21 to inhibit progression through the G1 phase of the cell cycle. Following injury to porcine arteries, p21 gene product was detected in the neointima and correlated inversely with the location and kinetics of intimal cell proliferation. Direct gene transfer of p21 using an adenoviral vector into balloon injured porcine arteries inhibited the development of intimal hyperplasia. Taken together, these findings suggest that p21, and possibly related cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors, may normally regulate cellular proliferation following arterial injury, and strategies to increase its expression may prove therapeutically beneficial in vascular diseases.

Adenoviridae↗

Parallel studies of clonogenic leukaemia cells and the leukaemia cell population as a whole in acute myelogenous leukaemia.

The clonogenic cells in patients with acute myelogenous leukaemia (AML) were evaluated with respect to the relationship between primary and secondary cloning capacity and the proliferative and molecular biological characteristics of the leukaemia cell population as a whole. Secondary cloning capacity was correlated with primary cloning efficiency, and with the ability of the clonogenic cells to produce large sized clones. The cloning capacity of AML cells was unrelated to the cell cycle characteristics of the leukaemia cell population in vivo or to the level of myc, myb, fms, or interleukin (IL)1 beta expression. The sensitivities of the clonogenic cells to cytosine arabinoside and daunorubicin were inversely correlated with the ability of the leukaemia cells to produce large sized clones in vitro. This latter observation may explain the reported relationships between the clonogenic capacity of AML cells and response to chemotherapy.

Cell Cycle↗

Enhancement of antigen- and mitogen-induced human T lymphocyte proliferation by tumor necrosis factor-alpha.

The capacity of human recombinant tumor necrosis factor-alpha (rTNF alpha) to modulate human T cell proliferation was examined. To examine the effect of rTNF alpha on the responding T cell directly, T cell activation was studied in the absence of viable accessory cells (AC). Highly purified AC-depleted peripheral blood T4 or T8 cells were stimulated with immobilized monoclonal antibodies to the cluster of differentiation (CD)3 molecular complex, an AC-independent stimulus. rTNF alpha augmented anti-CD3-stimulated T4 and T8 cell proliferation. The capacity of rTNF alpha to enhance T cell proliferation varied inversely with the density of immobilized anti-CD3 and the number of responding cells in each culture. The capacity of rTNF alpha to enhance antigen-induced T4 cell proliferation was also examined. Antigen-bearing paraformaldehyde-fixed antigen-presenting cells induced modest T4 cell proliferation when cultured in flat-bottomed wells; this response was enhanced by rTNF alpha. The results demonstrate that rTNF alpha has direct effects on T cells, facilitating their capacity to proliferate in response to mitogens and antigens. These data indicate that rTNF alpha may play an immunoregulatory role, enhancing the proliferation of T lymphocytes.

Adult↗