Adrenomedullin and vascular endothelial growth factor production by follicular fluid macrophages and granulosa cells

BACKGROUND: Human follicular fluid contains several substances, such as cytokines and growth factors, which may affect follicular growth and maturation. The present study examines the relative contribution of macrophages and granulosa cells in the production of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and adrenomedullin in the human ovulatory follicle. METHODS: Both follicular fluid samples and blood samples were obtained at the time of oocyte retrieval following ovarian stimulation from 20 women undergoing IVF treatment because of male infertility. Human follicular fluid macrophages and luteinized granulosa cells were obtained from pooled follicular fluid of individual patients. Accumulation of VEGF and adrenomedullin in the culture medium of the isolated macrophages and human granulosa cells was determined at variable time intervals ranging from 0 to 48 h. Plasma and follicular fluid concentrations of VEGF and adrenomedullin were also measured. RESULTS: The follicular fluid concentrations of VEGF and adrenomedullin were significantly higher than those found in plasma. After 48 h, accumulation of VEGF in the culture medium of follicular fluid macrophages was significantly higher than that released in the culture medium of luteinized granulosa cells. In contrast, the production rate of adrenomedullin by follicular fluid macrophages was similar to that found in granulosa cells. VEGF secreted by follicular fluid macrophages increased progressively within 48 h of cell culture. A similar response pattern was observed with the culture medium of luteinized granulosa cells, but with lower production rates. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests for the first time that both luteinized granulosa cells and macrophages actively secrete VEGF and adrenomedullin into follicular fluid in the human ovary.     

Evaluation of the Interaction Between TGF <Emphasis Type="Italic">β</Emphasis> and Nitric Oxide in the Mechanisms of Progression of Colon Carcinoma

It is recognised that stromal cells determine cancer progression. We have previously shown that active TGFβ produced by rat colon carcinoma cells modulated NO production in rat endothelial cells. To elucidate the role of TGFβ and NO in the mechanisms of interaction of colon carcinoma cells with stromal cells and in cancer progression, we transfected REGb cells, a regressive colon carcinoma clone secreting latent TGFβ, with a cDNA encoding for a constitutively-secreted active TGFβ. Out of 20 injected rats only one tumour progressed, which was resected and sub-cultured (ReBeta cells). ReBeta cells secreted high levels of active TGFβ. The adhesive properties of REGb and Rebeta cells to endothelial cells were similar, showing that the secretion of active TGFβ is not involved in tumour cell adhesion to endothelial cells. ReBeta, but not REGb, cell culture supernatants inhibited cytokine-dependent NO secretion by endothelial cells, but inhibition of NO production was similar in co-cultures of REGb or ReBeta cells with endothelial cells. Therefore, secretion of active TGFβ regulated endothelial NO synthase activity when tumour cells were distant from, but not in direct contact with, endothelial cells. However, only ReBeta cells inhibited cytokine-dependent secretion of NO in coculture with macrophages, indicating that the active-TGFβ–NO axis confers an advantage for tumour cells in their interaction with macrophages rather than endothelial cells in cancer progression.     

Cytotoxic action of macrophages activated by BCG on tumor target cellsin vitro

The activating action of liquid BCG vaccine, lyophilized BCG vaccine, and killed BCG cells on macrophages was studied. Activation of mouse peritoneal macrophages was identified by their cytotoxic actionin vitro on syngeneic tumor target cells labeled with⁵¹Cr. Macrophages obtained from mice two to three weeks after a single injection of liquid BCG vaccine were shown to have a cytotoxic action on tumor cells. A single injection of lyophilized BCG vaccine or killed BCG cells into mice did not cause activation of their macrophages. Two injections of liquid or lyophilized BCG vaccine caused activation of macrophages much earlier — three to five days after the second injection. Intraperitoneal injection of BCG activated macrophages to a greater degree than subcutaneous injection.Laboratory of Experimental Tumor Therapy, P. A. Gertsen Moscow Oncologic Research Institute. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR A. D. Timofeevskii.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 87, No. 1, pp. 36–39, January, 1979.     

Subtractive screening reveals up-regulation of NADPH oxidase expression in Crohn's disease intestinal macrophages

Macrophages play a central role during the pathogenesis of inflammation. In normal intestinal mucosa surface expression of typical macrophage markers such as CD14, CD16, CD11b or T-cell co-stimulatory molecules such as CD80 or CD86 is low indicating anergy and low pro-inflammatory activity of these cells. During inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) the mucosa is invaded by a population of macrophages displaying these markers, secreting higher cytokine levels and representing an activated cell population. CD33(+) cells (macrophages) were isolated from normal and Crohn's disease mucosa and mRNA was isolated by polyT magnetic beads. A subtractive screening was performed subtracting mRNA from normal macrophages from those of Crohn's disease macrophages. Oxidative burst activity was determined by flow cytometry. Seventy clones were obtained by the subtractive mRNA screening. Sequencing showed > 99% homology to mRNA of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) for three clones. Five clones obtained by subtraction revealed > 99% homology to mRNA of cytochrome b (subunit gp91). Differential expression of the cytochrome b subunit gp91 and the cytosolic NADPH oxidase subunit p67 was confirmed by RT-PCR and 'virtual' Northern blots. The fluorescence ratio of stimulated versus unstimulated cells was 0.9 +/- 0.16 in control macrophages indicating a lack of oxidative burst activity. In Crohn's disease this ratio was significantly increased to 1.80 +/- 0.8 (P = 0.004) confirming the molecular data. In conclusion NADPH oxidase mRNA is down-regulated or absent in macrophages from normal mucosa correlating with a lack of oxidative burst activity. In IBD macrophage-oxidative burst activity is increased and NADPH oxidase mRNA induced. Inhibition of NADPH oxidase could be a new therapeutical target in IBD and reduce mucosal tissue damage in active IBD.     

Up-regulation of cathepsin X in Helicobacter pylori gastritis and gastric cancer

Recently, we identified increased cathepsin X expression in H. pylori-infected gastric mucosa. Here, we describe further up-regulation in gastric cancer and report on the role of inflammatory cytokines required for cathepsin X up-regulation in H. pylori-infected gastric mucosa, as well as on consequences for cellular invasion. Biopsy specimens were taken from the antrum, corpus and cardia of H. pylori-infected and non-infected patients. Gastric cancer samples were obtained from patients undergoing gastric surgery. Cathepsin X was detected in gastric mucosa by quantitative real-time RT-PCR, western blotting and immunohistochemistry. Induction of cathepsin X expression in epithelial and inflammatory cells caused by H. pylori infection was tested in in vitro contact and non-contact co-cultures of AGS cells and monocytic cells. Patients with H. pylori gastritis showed significantly higher cathepsin X mRNA (2.5-fold) and protein (1.6-fold) expression than H. pylori-negative patients. Cathepsin X was also up-regulated in gastric cancer (3-12-fold) compared to non-neoplastic mucosa. Cathepsin X was predominantly expressed by macrophages in the mucosal stroma and in glands of the antral mucosa. In addition, tumour cells stained for cathepsin X in 26 (68%) patients with gastric carcinoma. In general, staining was significantly more common (20 vs. 6 patients) and more intense (3.55 vs. 0.83) in intestinal type gastric cancer than in the diffuse type. In vitro cell culture experiments revealed that intercellular signalling between pathogenicity island (PAI)-positive H. pylori-infected epithelial cells and macrophages via soluble factors in the culture medium seems to be responsible for increased expression of cathepsin X in monocytes. Using antisense oligonucleotides, cathepsin X up-regulation was directly associated with higher invasiveness in vitro. Although no correlation of cathepsin X expression and TNM stage was found, our study demonstrates that cathepsin X plays a role not only in the chronic inflammation of gastric mucosa but also in the tumourigenesis of gastric cancer.     

Prostaglandin E1 suppresses macrophage infiltration and ameliorates injury in an experimental model of macrophage-dependent glomerulonephritis.

Prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) suppresses macrophage infiltration and ameliorates injury in an experimental model of macrophage dependent glomerulonephritis. Macrophages are mediators of glomerular injury in models of proliferative glomerulonephritis. We have recently shown that macrophages in glomerulonephritis have low prostaglandin E2 (PGE) generation, and other evidence implicates eicosanoids as regulators of macrophage activation. Here we have studied in rats the effect of 15(s)-15-methyl PGE1 (M-PGE1) on accelerated nephrotoxic nephritis, a model of acute macrophage-dependent glomerular injury. M-PGE1 ameliorated proteinuria (day 4; 61 +/- 13 mg/24 h, n = 9; vehicle treated, 164 +/- 17 mg/24 h, n = 11; P less than 0.002) and glomerular hypercellularity; quantification of infiltrating macrophages by isolating glomerular cells showed reduction in the numbers of macrophages (44 +/- 9/glomerulus; vehicle treated, 119 +/- 15/glomerulus; P less than 0.02) with inhibition of Ia antigen expression on infiltrating macrophages (8 +/- 5%; vehicle treated 25 +/- 4% P less than 0.05). Glomerular binding of nephrotoxic globulin and levels of autologous antibodies were not affected by M-PGE1. Thus the mechanism of suppression involves inhibition of macrophage accumulation and activation. M-PGE1 administered to normal rats did not affect numbers of resident leucocytes (12.6 +/- 1.5/glomerulus; vehicle treated, 13.2 +/- 1.3/glomerulus) or alter Ia antigen expression (4.1 +/- 0.2 Ia + cells/glomerulus; vehicle treated, 3.9 +/- 0.6/glomerulus). This study suggests a therapeutic role for PGE1 in this type of glomerulonephritis, and has implications for the pathophysiology of macrophage-mediated inflammation.     

Sputum microbiome profiles identify severe asthma phenotypes of relative stability at 12 to 18 months

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Modulation of osteopontin in proteinuria-induced renal interstitial fibrosis

Proteinuria is associated with macrophage-dependent interstitial fibrosis (IF). Osteopontin (OPN), a macrophage chemoattractant, may be involved in the transition of proteinuria to IF but protective properties have also been reported. To elucidate whether OPN may be involved in the proteinuria-induced cascade of tubulointerstitial damage, renal expression of OPN was studied during the development of proteinuria-induced renal damage and during anti-proteinuric intervention with ACE inhibition (ACEi). First, the temporal relationships between proteinuria, interstitial OPN induction, and IF in adriamycin nephrosis (AN), a model of chronic proteinuria-induced renal damage, were studied. Second, the effect of anti-proteinuric treatment on OPN expression was investigated. The time course of OPN induction and markers of renal damage was studied in rats with unilateral AN at 6-week intervals until week 30. In a second study, a renal biopsy was taken 6 weeks after induction of bilateral AN; subsequently, rats were treated with ACEi until termination (week 12). In unilateral AN, proteinuria developed gradually and stabilized at week 10. In proteinuric kidneys, OPN expression was induced from week 12 onwards. Simultaneously, a progressive increase in interstitial macrophages, alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA), collagen type III, and focal glomerulosclerosis (FGS) was observed. In bilateral AN, ACEi reduced proteinuria and OPN protein and stabilized fibrosis. In untreated animals, OPN mRNA increased, with stable OPN protein and fibrosis and increased FGS. Thus, in AN, development of proteinuria is followed by up-regulation of OPN along with markers of renal damage. The up-regulation of OPN is reversible by anti-proteinuric treatment without a corresponding reduction in fibrosis. Whereas these data are consistent with a role for OPN in the cascade of transition from proteinuria to fibrosis, intervention with ACEi showed that reduction of OPN does not attenuate established fibrosis.     

Progression of HIV disease is associated with increased expression of FcγRI and CR1 on alveolar macrophages

The expression of receptors for complement and the Fc region of immunoglobulin by alveolar macrophages (AM) constitutes a valuable aid to effector function of these cells. However, during HIV infection such expression may also act to increase binding of immune complexes, thus facilitating viral infection of these cells. This study was designed to determine whether changes in the expression of these receptors occurs in situ during HIV infection. Lung macrophages were isolated by bronchoalveolar lavage in groups of HIV⁺ subjects segregated on the basis of peripheral CD4 count. A group of normal subjects was also investigated. Expression of CR1 and FcγRI was quantified by measuring the optical density of reaction product following controlled immunoperoxidase staining with MoAbs CD35 and CD64. Both CR1 and FcγRI were increased over normal in all HIV⁺ subjects. This increase was progressive with advancing disease as determined by correlation with declining peripheral CD4 count. Comparison of asymptomatic and symptomatic subjects with HIV infection showed no difference in CR1 expression but a rise in FcγRI expression in the latter group. An overall inverse correlation was also found between peripheral CD4 count and FcγRI expression, but not CR1 expression. These data demonstrate a significant increase in the expression of these receptors on AM from HIV⁺ subjects, and show that this increase may occur before any symptoms in these patients.