Impulse patterns of Ia afferents and Ia-activated DSCT neurons during sinusoidal muscle stretch in cats

Summary The cat gastrocnemius muscles of one hind leg were stretched sinusoidally with amplitudes between 10 m and 2.5 mm and frequencies between 1 and 30 Hz. The stretch response of deefferented muscle spindle afferents and of Ia-activated cells within Clarke's column were investigated by means of extra-cellular recordings of action potentials. The responses to 20–50 cycles were displayed in impulse patterns (raster diagrams) of the responding action potentials. The impulse patterns of Ia afferents exhibited a high degree of phase-locking (regularity) on the stretch cycle of amplitudes of about 50 m at 3 Hz and all higher amplitudes or frequencies. At comparable stretch parameters the regularity in Ia afferents was 4–6 times larger than in Ia-activated DSCT neurons. The regularity in the DSCT patterns increased with an increase in stretch frequency. The impulse patterns of DSCT cells exhibited a high negative correlation between successive interspike intervals (–0.4 to –0.6) at low stretch frequencies (<3 Hz), which decreased with an increase in stretch frequency.     

载脂蛋白A-Ⅰ对三磷酸腺苷结合盒转运体A1的影响

目的：以THP-1巨噬细胞源性泡沫细胞为研究对象，观察载脂蛋白A-I对THP-1巨噬细胞源性泡沫细胞胆固醇流出和三磷酸腺苷结合盒转运体A1(ABCA1)的影响,从而探讨载脂蛋白A-I对动脉粥样硬化(As)发生发展的影响。方法:用液体闪烁计数器检测细胞内胆固醇流出, 高效液相色谱分析细胞内总胆固醇、游离胆固醇和胆固醇酯含量, 运用逆转录-多聚酶链反应和Western 印迹分别检测ABCA1 mRNA 与ABCA1蛋白的表达,用流式细胞术检测细胞平均ABCA1荧光强度。 结果:载脂蛋白A-I引起THP-1巨噬细胞源性泡沫细胞总胆固醇、游离胆固醇与胆固醇酯呈时间依赖性减少, 而ABCA1蛋白质水平、细胞平均ABCA1荧光强度以及细胞内胆固醇流出呈时间依赖性增加,但ABCA1 mRNA没有明显变化。巯基蛋白酶抑制剂(leupeptin 和ALLN)增加ABCA1蛋白质水平,而其它蛋白酶抑制剂(pepstatin A、aprotinin及phosphoramiddon)不增加ABCA1蛋白质水平,蛋白体抑制剂(lactacytin)和溶酶体抑制剂(NH4Cl)也不影响ABCA1蛋白质水平。 结论:巯基蛋白酶可降解THP-1巨噬细胞源性泡沫细胞ABCA1蛋白质,而载脂蛋白A-I可阻碍巯基蛋白酶降解ABCA1蛋白质,从而提高THP-1巨噬细胞源性泡沫细胞ABCA1 蛋白质水平, 增加细胞内胆固醇流出, 降低细胞内胆固醇聚积。     

Specificity and mechanism of the histone methyltransferase Pr-Set7

Methylation of lysine residues of histones is an important epigenetic mark that correlates with functionally distinct regions of chromatin. We present here the crystal structure of a ternary complex of the enzyme Pr-Set7 (also known as Set8) that methylates Lys 20 of histone H4 (H4-K20). We show that the enzyme is exclusively a mono-methylase and is therefore responsible for a signaling role quite distinct from that established by other enzymes that target this histone residue. We provide evidence from NMR for the C-flanking domains of SET proteins becoming ordered upon addition of AdoMet cofactor and develop a model for the catalytic cycle of these enzymes. The crystal structure reveals the basis of the specificity of the enzyme for H4-K20 because a histidine residue within the substrate, close to the target lysine, is required for completion of the active site. We also show how a highly variable component of the SET domain is responsible for many of the enzymes' interactions with its target histone peptide and probably also how this part of the structure ensures that Pr-Set7 is nucleosome specific.     

The small subset of CD56brightCD16- natural killer cells is selectively responsible for both cell proliferation and interferon-gamma production upon interaction with dendritic cells

The encounter of NK cells with dendritic cells (DC) undergoing maturation may result in the induction of NK cell proliferation. Whether such proliferation involves most NK cells or just a subset has yet to be determined. In the present study we analyzed the nature of such proliferating NK cells by combining carboxyfluorescein succinimidyl ester staining and double-fluorescence cytofluorimetric analysis. Freshly isolated peripheral blood NK cells cultured with LPS and immature DC underwent proliferation; however, proliferating cells were confined to a minor NK cell subset. This subset is characterized by the CD56(bright)CD16(-)NKG2A(+)KIR(-) surface phenotype (KIR, killer Ig-like receptor). This was further confirmed by the fact that, after cell sorting, only the CD56(bright) NK cells were able to proliferate in response to the DC stimulus, whereas the CD56(dull) were not. We also provide evidence that the CD56(bright) subset is the main source of IFN-gamma-producing NK cells, upon interaction with DC. The CD56(bright)CD16(-) NK cells express a panel of surface molecules including CD62L, CCR7 and CXCR3 that may allow their homing either to secondary lymphoid compartments or to inflamed tissues. This implies that, in vivo, the interactions between DC undergoing maturation and CD56(bright) NK cells may occur in different tissues and have different functional implications.     

血管内皮生长因子对外周血内皮祖细胞功能的影响

目的: 观察不同浓度血管内皮生长因子(VEGF）对体外培养人外周血内皮祖细胞（EPCs）生物学功能的影响，探讨VEGF促进EPCs分裂生长的合适浓度。方法: 密度梯度离心法获取人外周血单个核细胞（MNCs），接种至人纤维连接蛋白（HFN）包被的培养板上，培养4 d后收集贴壁细胞，换用配有不同浓度（对照组、10 μg/L、20 μg/L、50 μg/L）VEGF的培养基继续培养3 d后进行细胞免疫组化鉴定EPCs，采用MTT比色法、改良的Boyden小室和黏附能力测定实验，观察EPCs的增殖、迁移和黏附能力。结果: 从人外周血能成功分离EPCs细胞，并能分化为血管内皮细胞；从冠心病患者分离的EPCs增殖能力较非冠心病患者弱；VEGF在较低浓度（10 μg/L和20 μg/L）时即能显著促进EPCs生长的各项生物学指标，但高浓度（50 μg/L）时并不能进一步增强这一效应；低浓度（10 μg/L）下VEGF对冠心病患者作用较非冠心病患者弱，高浓度时对两者促进作用相近。结论: 冠心病患者EPCs功能显著减弱，较低浓度的VEGF即可显著增强EPCs的各项生物学功能，可能对损伤血管的再内皮化有益。     

Adhesion to fibronectin via alpha4 integrin (CD49d) protects B cells from apoptosis induced by serum deprivation but not via IgM or Fas/Apo-1 receptors

Apoptosis is a regulated event crucial to the development and proliferation of normal and malignant B cells. We have studied the role of signals delivered via alpha4 integrin on apoptosis triggered by three different pathways on these cells. For apoptosis induced by serum deprivation, culturing B cells on the recombinant fibronectin fragment H89, a known ligand for alpha4beta1 integrin, resulted in statistically significant (P < 0.005) higher viability values (68%, 65% and 67%) for Ramos, Nalm-6 and EHEB cells, respectively, than culturing cells on poly lysine (42%, 42% and 48%). An antialpha4 MoAb reverted the protecting effect, thus confirming that it was due specifically to alpha4 engagement. Similarly, cells cultured on FN-III4-5, a recently identified fibronectin region which binds activated alpha4 integrin, also showed statistically significant higher viability than poly lysine cultures. Alpha4 engagement however, did not prevent apoptosis induced on Ramos cells via surface IgM. Adhesion of IM-9 cells, a myeloma cell line carrying functional Fas receptors, to the H89 fragment neither increased cell viability upon triggering apoptosis via Fas when compared to poly lysine. These results indicate that alpha4 signalling may overcome B cell apoptosis induced by the lack of growth factors but does not seem to affect the IgM or Fas apoptotic pathways, thus suggesting different intracellular mechanisms for these processes.     

The Neuroimmunology of Multiple Sclerosis: Possible Roles of T and B Lymphocytes in Immunopathogenesis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory disease of the central nervous system white matter. The association of the disease with MHC genes, the inflammatory white matter infiltrates, similarities with animal models, and the observation that MS can be treated with immunomodulatory and immunosuppressive therapies support the hypothesis that autoimmunity plays a major role in the disease pathology. Evidence supports activated CD4⁺ myelin-reactive T cells as major mediators of the disease. In addition, a renewed interest in the possible contribution of B cells to MS immunopathology has been sparked by nonhuman primate and MS pathological studies. This review focuses on the immunopathology of MS, outlining the hypothetical steps of tolerance breakdown and the molecules that play a role in the migration of autoreactive cells to the CNS. Particular focus is given to autoreactive T cells and cytokines as well as B cells and autoantibodies and their role in CNS pathogenesis in MS.     

Complement activation by malignant B cells from patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL).

It has previously been reported that the expression of the complement receptors CR1 (CD35) and CR2 (CD21) on malignant B cells in CLL is reduced compared with the expression on normal B cells, while deposition of complement C3 fragments, as a consequence of alternative pathway (AP) activation of complement, is observed on mononuclear cells from patients with B CLL. Following our demonstration that normal B cells are capable of activating the AP of complement in a CR2-dependent fashion, we have chosen to re-examine the complement-activating ability of B CLL cells in relation to their altered phenotype with respect to CR2 and the complement regulatory membrane proteins, CR1, decay accelerating factor (DAF) (CD55) and membrane cofactor protein (MCP) (CD46). Flow cytometry was used to measure expression of complement receptors and regulatory proteins on CD5+ B cells from CLL patients, as well as the deposition of C3 fragments occurring both in vivo and after in vitro AP activation. We have confirmed the reduced expression of CR1 and CR2 on CLL cells and have shown that AP activation in the presence of homologous, normal serum was reduced on B CLL cells compared with normal B cells. The degree of AP activation correlated directly with CR2 expression. In addition, we observed that CLL cells bear in vivo-deposited C3d,g, although at a significantly lower level than normal B cells.     

Analysis of thymic epithelial cell proliferation in vitro by combining bromodeoxyuridine and keratin labeling in an immunofluorescence assay

A simple method of analyzing thymic epithelial cell (TEC) proliferation has been developed by combining bromodeoxyuridine (BrDU) and keratin labeling in an immunofluorescence assay. The first reagent specifically visualizes the cells entering the S phase of the cell cycle, whereas the second immunostaining reveals which of the proliferating BrDU-positive cells actually belong to the epithelial lineage. This method, besides being rapid and free of radioactivity, appears to be reliable in view of the minor variations in the percentages of BrDU+ TEC observed in several distinct experiments. Thus, BrDU/keratin immunolabeling appears to represent a useful tool for the analysis of in vitro TEC proliferation.     

Coxsackievirus B3 replication and persistence in intestinal cells from mice infected orally and in the human CaCo-2 cell line

Although the transmission of coxsackievirus B3 occurs mainly via the oral route, little is known about the primary replication and persistence of this agent in the intestine. To address this question, BALB/c mice were inoculated by gavage with coxsackievirus B3, Nancy strain. The mice were killed from 1 hr to 90 days after infection. The viral markers were detected in the small intestine using RT-PCR, cell culture and detection of VP1 protein. Coxsackievirus B3 was detected positive by the three methods from hr 2 to day 45 after infection. By using monoclonal antibodies directed towards VP1, CD40 and CD26, the virus was shown to be present in the lymphocytes of the mucosa as soon as 2 hr after infection; in contrast, no virus was detected in the epithelial cells lining the intestinal lumen. Further experiments were performed to evaluate the capacity of coxsackievirus B3 to establish a persistent infection in two intestinal cell lines. In contrast to HT29 cells, the CaCo-2 cells were shown to develop a persistent infection for up to 20 passages, as demonstrated by the detection of viral RNA and VP1 protein. This study provides further evidence that, after infection by the oral route, the viral particles are concentrated in the lymphocytes of the mucosal layer. In addition, the results suggest that coxsackievirus B3 is capable of establishing a persistent infection in the small intestine that may act as a reservoir of viral particles for the delayed spread of the virus to other target organs.