Serum levels of IL-10, IL-15 and soluble tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) receptors in type C chronic liver disease

We previously reported that the number of TNF-α-producing cells was increased in the liver of patients with type C chronic liver disease. To understand further the pathophysiology of this change, we examined serum levels of two soluble TNF receptors, TNF-αRI (p55) and -αRII (p75), and IL-10, all of which act as TNF-α buffer, and IL-15, a novel cytokine sharing many immunological activities with IL-2, using ELISA methods. We studied control individuals and patients with type C chronic liver disease, including asymptomatic hepatitis C virus (HCV) carriers with persistently normal serum ALT values, and those with chronic hepatitis (CH), liver cirrhosis (LC) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Both types of sTNF-αR closely correlated with disease progression. Patients with LC and HCC had significantly elevated levels for sTNF-αRII compared with the other patient groups and controls. Serum IL-10 levels were significantly greater in all chronic liver disease groups than in controls. With respect to IL-15, the values were high in CH, LC and HCC compared with those of controls. Notably, HCC patients showed highest values for both IL-10 and IL-15, with significant differences from the other patient groups. Serial determinations revealed that interferon (IFN) treatment for CH patients resulted in the suppression of circulating IL-10 and IL-15 levels along with decrease in serum aminotransferase values. Both cytokines remained at decreased levels after cessation of therapy in patients who went into clinical and virological remission. On the other hand, treatment did not affect serum levels of sTNF-αRs. These findings indicate that serum levels of these molecules correlated with disease progress in chronic HCV infection, and that IL-10 and IL-15 may reflect the degree of inflammation in the liver. It is also suggested that both cytokines may be related to the development of HCC.     

中国92例HIV/AIDS患者HIV-1 gp41 2F5和4E10中和抗体表位变异研究

目的 探讨92例HIV/AIDS患者HIV-1病毒近膜端(membrane proximal external re-gion,MPER)中和抗体2F5和4E10保守表位ELDKWA、NWFDIT氨基酸变异特点,为中国HIV/AIDS患者免疫治疗以及疫苗设计提供数据.方法 Nest-PCR扩增HIV-1 env区gp41段基因,核酸序列测定,翻译为氨基酸与HIV-1 Sequence Database HXB Ⅱ参考株中和抗体表位数据比对,分析2F5、4E10中和表位氨基酸变异情况.结果 92例HIV/AIDS患者HIV-1外膜蛋白env gp41段中和抗体2F5、4E10保守表位氨基酸均存在突变;2F5中和抗体表位主要有E662A(14.1%)、K665S(17.4%)、A667K(16.3%)突变;4E10中和抗体表位主要有N671S(13.0%)、D674S(3.3%)、T676S(16.3%)突变;CRF_B'C亚型与B'亚型的2F5和4E10表位氨基酸突变差异具有统计学意义(P<0-05);CRF_B'C与CRF01_AE亚型2F5表位突变差异具有统计学意义(P<0.05);B'亚型缓慢进展者、HIV感染者和AIDS患者的4E10表位氨基酸突变差异具有统计学意义(P<0.05).结论 92例HIV/AIDS患者HIV.1包膜蛋白env gp41段中和抗体2F5、4E10中和表位氨基酸存在突变,且变异多样化;不同亚型中和抗体保守表位氨基酸位点变异有差异;B'亚型4E10中和抗体表位变异可能与疾病进展有一定联系.     

Interleukin-10 secreted by B-1 cells modulates the phagocytic activity of murine macrophages in vitro

As demonstrated previously in our laboratory, B-1 cells migrate from the peritoneal cavity of mice and home to a distant site of inflammation to become macrophage-like cells. However, the influence that these cells might have on the kinetics and fate of the inflammatory process is not known. Considering that macrophages are pivotal in the inflammatory reaction, we decided to investigate the possible influence B-1 cells could have on macrophage activities in vitro. Our results show that peritoneal macrophages from Xid mice, a mouse strain deprived of B-1 cells, have higher phagocytic indexes for zymozan particles when compared with macrophages from wild-type mice. Moreover, macrophages from wild-type mice have a lower ability to release nitric oxide and hydrogen peroxide when compared with macrophages from Xid mice. Experiments using cocultures of B-1 cells and macrophages from Xid mice in transwell plates demonstrated that B-1 cells down-regulate macrophage activities. These observations also indicate that this phenomenon is not due to a physical interaction between these two cell populations. As B-1 cells are one of the main sources of interleukin (IL)-10, we demonstrate in this study that adherent peritoneal cells from Xid mice produce significantly less amounts of this cytokine in culture when compared with IL-10 production by cells from wild-type mice. When B-1 cells from IL-10 knock-out mice and macrophages from wild-type mice were cocultured in transwell plates, the phagocytic index of macrophages was not altered demonstrating that B-1 cells can influence the effector functions of macrophages in vitro via IL-10 secretion.     

WNT10B variants in split hand/foot malformation: Report of three novel families and review of the literature

Split‐hand/foot malformation (SHFM) is a genetically heterogeneous congenital limb malformation typically limited to a defect of the central rays of the autopod, presenting as a median cleft of hands and feet. It can be associated with long bone deficiency or included in more complex syndromes. Among the numerous genetic causes, WNT10B homozygous variants have been recently identified in consanguineous families, but remain still rarely described (SHFM6; MIM225300). We report on three novel SHFM families harboring WNT10B variants and review the literature, allowing us to highlight some clinical findings. The feet are more severely affected than the hands and there is a frequent asymmetry without obvious side‐bias. Syndactyly of third–fourth fingers was a frequent finding (62%). Polydactyly, which was classically described in SHFM6, was only present in 27% of patients. No genotype–phenotype correlation is delineated but heterozygous individuals might have mild features of SHFM, suggesting a dose‐effect of the WNT10B loss‐of‐function.     

趋化因子及受体与中国HCV/HIV合并感染相关性的研究

目的：探讨趋化因子自细胞介素8（IL-8）、干扰素诱导蛋白10（IFN-inducible 10-kdaprotein，IP-10）及趋化因子受体CCR5、CXCR3，在丙肝病毒（HCV）单纯感染，艾滋病病毒（HIV）单纯感染和HCV／HIV合并感染过程中的表达及意义。方法：采用流式细胞术，检测HCV感染组（n=21）、HIV感染组（n=14）、HCV／HIV感染组（n=28）及正常对照组（n=30）人外周血CD4^＋T淋巴细胞和CD8^＋T淋巴细胞表面CCR5、CXCR3的表达。ELISA方法检测血清趋化因子IL-8、IP-10含量。结果：HCV感染组、HIV感染组和HCV／HIV合并感染组，血清IP-10水平都明显升高，而在合并感染组水平最高；血清IL-8水平在3组亦明显升高。HIV感染组及HCV／HIV合并感染组CD4^＋T细胞表面CXCR3表达显著降低（P〈0．001），CD8^＋T细胞表面CXCR3表达显著升高（P〈0．001）；HCV感染组CD4^＋及CD8^＋T细胞表面CXCR3表达轻度升高，但差异不显著。HCV感染组及HCV／HIV合并感染组CD4^＋及CD8^＋T细胞表面CCR5表达显著降低（P〈0.001）；HIV感染组CD4^＋及CD8^＋T细胞表面CCR5表达显著升高（P〈0.001）。结论：中国HCV／HIV合并感染患者中，血清IL-8和IP-10水平都明显升高；受体CXCR3在CD4^＋T细胞表面表达降低，而在CD8^＋T细胞表面表达升高；受体CCR5在CD4^＋及CD8^＋T细胞表面表达降低，提示趋化因子及受体与HCV／HIV合并感染密切相关。     

Infrequent genetic alterations of the PTEN gene in Japanese patients with sporadic prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is a major cause of cancer death among elderly men in America, Europe, and Japan. However, the molecular mechanism of carcinogenesis is not yet well characterized. Frequent loss of heterozygosity (LOH) on chromosome 10q was reported in prostate cancer, and a candidate tumor suppressor gene, PTEN, was isolated on chromosome band 10q23.3. To investigate the genetic alterations of PTEN, we examined 45 primary prostate cancer specimens. LOH at the PTEN locus was observed in two (11.1%) of 18 tumors. However, no mutations were observed in any of the primary prostate cancers. These data suggest that mutation of the PTEN gene does not play a major role in prostate carcinogenesis of Japanese patients. Received: February 6, 1998 / Accepted: July, 3, 1998     

Circulating interleukin 10 and interleukin-6 serum levels in rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with methotrexate or gold salts: Preliminary report

In order to evaluate the relationship between serum concentrations of interleukin-10 (IL-10), IL-6, and acute phase proteins in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients treated with methotrexate (MTX) or intramuscular gold (IMG) we determined IL-10, IL-6, C-reactive protein (CRP), alpha-1-acid glycoprotein (AGP) and alpha-1-antichymotrypsin (ACT) in the sera of 35 RA patients. IL-10 and IL-6 levels were evaluated using an enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA). AGP and ACT level were measured using rocket immunoelectrophoresis. IL-10 serum level was not increased in RA patients as compared to controls (58.7 ± 18.1 pg/ml vs. 57.2 ± 11.9 pg/ml). IL-6 level was significantly elevated (91.6 ± 46.9 pg/ml vs. 45 ± 19 pg/ml, p < 0.05). CRP was significantly increased as compared to healthy controls (35 ± 19 mg/l vs. 3 ± 2 mg/l, p < 0.05). Patients treated with MTX or IMG presented an increased level of IL-10 and decreased amounts of IL-6, as compared to those treated with NSAID only. However, only changes between patients treated with IMG and NSAID were found to be statistically significant. A good negative correlation between IL-10 and IL-6 serum level was found (r = –0.75, p < 0.05). A positive significant correlation between IL-6 serum level and CRP (r = 0.62, p < 0.05), AGP (r = 0.78, p < 0.05) and ACT (r = 0.45, p < 0.05) was established. On the other hand, a negative correlation between IL-10 and serum level of CRP (r = –0.76, p < 0.05), AGP (r = –0.64, p < 0.05) and ACT (r = –0.38, p < 0.05) was also observed. Moreover, these relationships were maintained when patients treated with MTX, IMG, or NSAID were analyzed independently. According to the data thus far obtained, it seems that IL-10 decreases IL-6 production, and thereby indirectly affects the acute phase response, decreasing CRP, AGP, and ACT concentration in RA patients.Abbreviations ACT -1-antichymotrypsin - AGP ₁-acid glycoprotein - APP acute phase protein - CRP C-reactive protein - CSF colony stimulating factor - IFN interferon - IL interleukin - IMG intramuscular gold - MTX methotrexate - NSAID non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug - RA rheumatoid arthritis     

Characterization of mouse allergens

The major allergens present in mouse skin, serum, and urine have been identified. Skin extracts, serum, and urine were chromatographed, and the activities of the fractions were monitored by histamine release from the leukocytes of individuals sensitive to mice. Fractionation of skin extracts revealed two major allergens. The large allergen has a molecular weight of approximately 67,000 daltons and by biochemical and immunochemical criteria appears to be identical to mouse albumin. The smaller molecular weight allergen is approximately 17,000 daltons. The same two allergens are also found in mouse serum and mouse urine. Histamine release by leukocytes of individuals allergic to mice demonstrated that some individuals react predominantly to the large allergen, some to the small allergen, and one group of patients reacts to both allergens.     

IFNgamma and TNFalpha account for a pro-clonogenic activity secreted by activated murine peritoneal macrophages

In the present study, we found that murine peritoneal macrophages elicited by BCG or Listeria monocytogenes release into the media an activity capable of stimulating the lung colonization as well as the expression of MHC class I antigens in B16 melanoma cells. A similar activity has previously been found in media conditioned by Corynebacterium parvum-elicited macrophages. Analysis by gel filtration chromatography of media conditioned by Corynebacterium parvum-, BCG- or Listeria monocytogenes-elicited macrophages revealed that the material responsible for the pro-clonogenic activity concentrated in chromatographic fractions corresponding to molecular weights (25 to 52 kDa) which are characteristic of certain cytokines. Thus, we challenged the various macrophage-conditioned media with polyclonal antibodies against IFNγand TNFα, and found that the macrophage pro-clonogenic activity was completely abolished in the presence of anti-IFNγantibodies, but only partially inhibited by anti-TNFαantibodies. This finding suggests a cooperative participation of the two cytokines to the pro-clonogenic activity of the media conditioned by Corynebacterium parvum-, BCG- or Listeria monocytogenes-elicited macrophages. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

No Association between SNP rs498055 on Chromosome 10 and Late-Onset Alzheimer Disease in Multiple Datasets

SNP rs498055 in the predicted gene LOC439999 on chromosome 10 was recently identified as being strongly associated with late-onset Alzheimer disease (LOAD). This SNP falls within a chromosomal region that has engendered continued interest generated from both preliminary genetic linkage and candidate gene studies. To independently evaluate this interesting candidate SNP we examined four independent datasets, three family-based and one case-control. All the cases were late-onset AD Caucasian patients with minimum age at onset ≥ 60 years. None of the three family samples or the combined family-based dataset showed association in either allelic or genotypic family-based association tests at p < 0.05. Both original and OSA two-point LOD scores were calculated. However, there was no evidence indicating linkage no matter what covariates were applied (the highest LOD score was 0.82). The case-control dataset did not demonstrate any association between this SNP and AD (all p-values > 0.52). Our results do not confirm the previous association, but are consistent with a more recent negative association result that used family-based association tests to examine the effect of this SNP in two family datasets. Thus we conclude that rs498055 is not associated with an increased risk of LOAD.