S-Antigen and glial fibrillary acidic protein immunoreactivity in the in situ pineal gland of hamster and gerbil and in pineal grafts: Developmental expression of pinealocyte and glial markers

Postnatal development of S-Ag and GFAP immunoreactivity in the in situ pineal glands of golden hamsters and gerbils was examined using the avidin-biotin-peroxidase immunohistochemical technique. S-Ag was present in the gerbil pineal gland on the first postnatal day (P1), whereas it did not appear in the hamster pineal until P6. GFAP-immunoreactive astrocytes were first observed in the hamster pineal gland on P7 and in the gerbil pineal gland on P10. The number of S-Ag-immunoreactive pinealocytes and GFAP-immunoreactive astrocytes in the pineal glands of hamsters and gerbils increased with increasing age from P7 to 3 weeks. By 4 weeks, strong S-Ag and GFAP immunoreactivity was observed in both hamster and gerbil pineal glands. GFAP-immunoreactive stellate astrocytes were distributed evenly throughout the gerbil superficial pineal gland, but they were more often located in the peripheral region of the hamster superficial pineal. For the pineal grafts, pineal glands from neonatal (3–5 day old) hamsters were transplanted into the third cerebral ventricle (infundibular recess or posterior third ventricle) or beneath the renal capsule of adult male hamsters. S-Ag immunoreactivity appeared in the pineal grafts within 1 week following transplantation. By 4 weeks the pineal grafts showed strong S-Ag immunoreactivity which was maintained until at least 12 weeks after transplantation. The time course of glial cell maturation in the cerebroventricular pineal grafts is generally parallel to the hamster pineal gland in situ before 4 weeks. By 12 weeks, however, more astrocytes differentiated and developed GFAP-immunoreactivity in the pineal grafts than in the in situ pineals. These studies have described the postnatal development of S-Ag and GFAP immunoreactivity in in situ pineal glands and in neonatal pineal grafts.     

B-cell delivered gene transfer of human S-Ag-Ig fusion protein protects from experimental autoimmune uveitis

Uveitis is an important autoimmune disease affecting an estimated 2.3 million Americans. This disease is manifested by inflammation of the retina mediated by the infiltration of T lymphocytes that recognize "S-Antigen" (S-Ag). Current therapies involve the life-long use of immunosuppressive drugs, including steroids. The ability to induce specific tolerance to S-Ag would be desirable and allow patients to be weaned off of steroid therapy. In this study, we determined that S-Ag-Ig retroviral vector was capable of preventing EAU (experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis) in Lewis rats induced by immunization with bovine S-Ag (BoS-Ag). Importantly, B-cell delivered gene therapy with S-Ag-Ig can ameliorate ongoing EAU when the treatment was initiated after rats had been immunized. Furthermore, we have successfully induced tolerance in HLA-DR3 transgenic mice with respect to the T-cell proliferative response. These results demonstrate proof of principle for future efforts to develop this approach for clinical application in patients with uveoretinitis.     

Induction of experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis by T-cell lines.

Experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis was induced in genetically susceptible Lewis rats by passive transfer of T-lymphocyte cell lines from long-term cultures primed against soluble retinal antigen (S-Ag). A continuous T-cell line was established from non-adherent lymph node cells of S-Ag-immunized Lewis rats. The lymphoid cells were propagated in vitro by serially restimulating them with S-Ag in the presence of irradiated syngeneic spleen cells and expanding them in IL-2-containing media. The cell lines exhibited markers specific for T lymphocytes and the majority had the helper phenotype. When naïve rats were inoculated intravenously with anti S-Ag T-cell lines re-exposed to the antigen prior to injection, they developed uveoretinitis with both clinical and histological characteristics in half the time required by S-Ag to induce the disease by active immunization. The rats exhibited a delayed hypersensitivity skin reaction towards S-Ag.     

IL-4 mRNA expression by peritoneal cells during episodes of peritonitis in patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis.

Peritoneal cells were isolated from dialysates drained from nine patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) during episodes of peritonitis. Levels of expression of mRNA for the regulatory cytokines, interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and IL-4, were investigated daily, where possible, during the first 5 days of peritonitis. Cytokine mRNA levels were compared with those of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) stimulated in vitro with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) plus phytohaemagglutinin (PHA). Peritoneal cells expressed low levels of IFN-gamma mRNA; for four of nine patients, IL-4 mRNA levels greater than those expressed by stimulated PBMC were detected. There was no pattern of cytokine mRNA expression associated with the types of organisms detected in dialysates at initiation of peritonitis. However, in contrast to those patients with a transient, resolving peritonitis, significant IL-4 mRNA expression was detected in cells isolated early in the episodes of peritonitis in patients who suffered recurrent peritonitis within 30 days of the initial peritonitis episode. These results suggest an association between early IL-4 mRNA expression and susceptibility to further infections. The known anti-inflammatory effects of IL-4 may explain this association.     

Immunopathology of ocular onchocerciasis. I. Inflammatory cells infiltrating the anterior segment.

Ocular tissue (conjunctiva and iris) was obtained from 12 adult African men with active ocular onchocerciasis and from nine age-matched persons from the same endemic region but without onchocercal infection. These tissues were examined immunohistologically and two major findings were noted. First, mild-to-moderate chronic inflammatory cellular infiltration was present in the conjunctiva of the onchocerciasis patients. T lymphocytes (CD3+) were the major inflammatory cells, and the T suppressor/cytotoxic (CD8+) subset was significantly increased in the ocular onchocerciasis patients (P less than 0.03). Second, in the onchocerciasis patients, non-lymphoid cells of the conjunctiva and iris, such as vascular endothelium, pericytes and fibroblasts were in an activated state, as shown by increased expression of Class II MHC antigens (P less than 0.02, conjunctiva; P less than 0.05, iris). These concomitant findings of lymphocyte infiltration and resident cell activation indicate a dynamic state of localized host responsiveness presumably to the microfilarial parasites and their products in the anterior segments of the eyes of patients with ocular onchocerciasis.     

Overexpression of MAGE-D4 in colorectal cancer is a potentially prognostic biomarker and immunotherapy target

Melanoma-associated antigen D4 (MAGE-D4) is a novel member of MAGE family. This study aimed to examine the expression and immunogenicity of MAGE-D4 in colorectal cancer (CRC) to determine its potential as a prognosis and immunotherapeutic target. The expression of MAGE-D4 mRNA and protein was determined by RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry (IHC) in CRCs with paired adjacent non-tumor tissues, colorectal adenomas and normal colorectal tissues, respectively. Sera from 64 CRC patients were tested for MAGE-D4 antibody by ELISA. MAGE-D4 mRNA was more frequently expressed in CRCs (76.7%, 46/60) than in adjacent non-tumor tissues (15.0%, 9/60). MAGE-D4 protein was detected in all the CRC tissues tested, 70.0% of which showed high expression. There was no MAGE-D4 protein detected in any paired adjacent non-tumor tissue. No MAGE-D4 expression was found in colorectal adenomas and normal colorectal tissues by either RT-PCR or immunohistochemistry. Patients with high MAGE-D4 protein expression had significantly shorter overall survival than those with low MAGE-D4 protein expression (median, 68.6 vs 122.2 months; P=0.030). Furthermore, multivariate analysis exhibited high MAGE-D4 protein expression had a trend toward an independent prognostic factor (hazard ratio: 6.124; P=0.050). Humoral immunity to MAGE-D4 was detected in 12 of 64 (18.8%) CRC patients’ sera but not in 77 healthy donors. There was no correlation between MAGE-D4 expression, serum antibody and clinicopathological parameters. These findings suggest MAGE-D4 may serve as a potentially prognostic biomarker and an attractive target of immunotherapy in CRC.     

Interleukin-12 and Perforin mRNA Expression is Augmented in Blood Mononuclear Cells in Multiple Sclerosis

Cytokines are suggested to orchestrate an abnormal immune response in multiple sclerosis (MS). The regulatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-12 induces T-helper (Th) cell switch to the Th1 type and the production by cytotoxic T cells of perforin, a cell lysis-inducing factor. It has been suggested that Th1-like cytokines may promote the development of MS, and the production of perforin to induce oligodendrocyte damage. In-situ hybridization with radiolabelled synthetic oligonucleotide probes was used to detect and enumerate mononuclear cells (MNC) expressing IL-12 and perforin mRNA in blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from patients with MS and controls. Plasma and CSF levels of IL-12 (p70) were evaluated by ELISA. Higher numbers of IL-12 and perforin mRNA-expressing MNC were registered in blood in MS and also in controls with aseptic meningoencephalitis (AM) compared to healthy subjects. There were a few patients with other non-inflammatory neurological diseases who also had high levels of IL-12 or perforin mRNA expressing blood MNC. A parallel elevation was observed for IL-12 (p70) concentrations in plasma. In the MS patients' CSF, there was a further augmentation of IL-12 mRNA expressing MNC. To evaluate autoantigen-induced IL-12 and perforin mRNA expression, blood MNC were cultivated ± myelin basic protein (MBP), a candidate autoantigen in MS. Higher numbers of MBP-reactive IL-12 and perforin mRNA expressing blood MNC were detected in MS than controls. The augmentation of both IL-12 and perforin in MS might reflect ongoing inflammatory processes in MS and could represent targets for future treatments.     

Cytokine profiles of patients infected with Mycobacterium ulcerans and unaffected household contacts

Mycobacterium ulcerans, the cause of Buruli ulcer, is an environmental mycobacterium with a distinct geographic distribution. The reasons why only some individuals who are exposed to M. ulcerans develop ulcers are not known but are likely to reflect individual differences in the immune response to infections with this bacterium. In this study, we investigated cytokine profiles of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from 23 Buruli ulcer patients and 25 household contacts in a region of Australia where Buruli ulcer is endemic. The results showed that following stimulation with M. ulcerans or Mycobacterium bovis BCG, PBMC from Buruli ulcer patients mounted a Th2-type response, which was manifested by the production of mRNA for interleukin 4 (IL-4), IL-5, IL-6, and IL-10, whereas unaffected contacts responded mainly with the Th1 cytokines gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) and IL-12. For example, mRNA for IL-4 was detected in 18 of 23 patients but in only 3 of 25 control subjects (P < 0.0001). By contrast, PBMC from 21 of 25 unaffected individuals produced IFN-gamma compared with 3 of 23 patients (P < 0.0001). IFN-gamma release following stimulation with mycobacteria was markedly reduced in affected subjects. Frequencies of antibodies to M. ulcerans in serum samples from affected and unaffected subjects were similar, indicating that many of the control subjects had been exposed to this bacterium. Together, these findings suggest that a Th1-type immune response to M. ulcerans may prevent the development of Buruli ulcer in people exposed to M. ulcerans, but a Th-2 response does not.     

Analysis of gastrinomas by immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization histochemistry.

Gastrinomas from 25 patients were examined by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and in situ hybridization histochemistry (ISH). Most patients (84%) presented with the Zollinger-Ellison syndrome. Six had multiple endocrine neoplasia type I (MEN-I). Twelve patients (48%) had duodenal primaries and 11 of 12 of these had metastases to regional lymph nodes and/or liver in spite of the small sizes of the primary tumors (mean size of 0.9 cm). Five patients had pancreatic gastrinomas and eight patients had metastatic tumor in regional lymph nodes or liver at surgery but a primary was not found. IHC and ISH analyses showed that all cases were positive for gastrin protein and 24 of 25 (96%) expressed gastrin mRNA that was easily detected in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections. Both benign and malignant tumors expressed alpha subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin protein (alpha-HCG). However, only malignant gastrinomas (29%) expressed adrenocorticotropic hormone protein or proopiomelanocortin (POMC) mRNA. ISH and Northern hybridization analysis revealed that chromogranin A mRNA was the most common member of the chromogranin/secretogranin (Cg/Sg) family which was expressed in both benign and malignant gastrinomas. These results indicate that duodenal gastrinomas are common in both sporadic and MEN-1-associated cases, and small duodenal primaries may be associated with extensive regional lymph node and liver metastases. Expression of ACTH/POMC protein and mRNA was consistently associated only with malignant gastrinomas while gastrin protein, gastrin mRNA and Cgs/Sgs mRNAs were readily detected in both benign and malignant gastrinomas.     

Genetic changes and expression of the mannose 6-phosphate/insulin-like growth factor II receptor gene in human hepatitis B virus-associated hepatocellular carcinoma

It was reported that 60-70% of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-negative hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) had loss of heterozygosity (LOH) at the mannose 6-phosphate/insulin-like growth factor II receptor (M6P/IGF2R) locus and this gene was mutated in 55% of these patients with LOH. In this study, genomic DNA from 29 pairs of HBV-positive HCC and corresponding non-tumor tissues was used to analyze LOH at the M6P/IGF2R locus and single deoxyguanosine deletion in this gene by PCR. Total RNA from 19 of the 29 patients was utilized to determine a 192 bp insert in the M6P/IGF2R mRNA and expression of this gene by RT-PCR. Twenty-eight of 29 (97%) HBV-positive HCC were found to be informative at the M6P/IGF2R locus but LOH at this region was only detected in 4/28 (14%) informative patients. Neither single deoxyguanosine deletion in this gene nor 192 bp insert in its mRNA occurred in these patients. Compared with corresponding non-tumor tissues, expression of the M6P/IGF2R mRNA was decreased in 13/19 (68%) HBV-positive HCC tissues, suggesting that M6P/IGF2R may be involved in HBV-associated hepatocarcinogenesis by the regulation of its expression level. In the development of HBV-associated HCC, M6P/IGF2R mutation may not be a major agent.     

PCR detection of bacteria on cardiac valves of patients with treated bacterial endocarditis

We used broad-range PCR amplification and sequencing to detect and identify bacterial DNA in 156 valves of patients treated for infective endocarditis (IE). Bacterial DNA was found more frequently in patients who underwent valve replacement while on antibiotic treatment for IE (60%) than in patients who had completed antibiotic treatment for IE (37%; P = 0.02). We found specific bacterial DNA in valves removed from 11 of 30 patients who had completed antibiotic treatment for IE. Six had no histological evidence of IE. The presence of DNA was significantly correlated with the presence of histologic lesions (P = 0.001) and with the presence of bacteria detected by Gram staining (P < 0.001). Bartonella and streptococci were detected for much longer after antibiotic treatment by PCR than other species (P = 0.047 and 0.04, respectively), and coagulase-negative staphylococci were detected for much shorter periods (P = 0.02). The finding that bacterial DNA was more likely to be detected in valves of patients with active IE than in patients who had completed antibiotic treatment for IE shows that bacterial DNA is cleared slowly. There was no significant correlation between the duration of antibiotic therapy and the presence of bacterial DNA in valves. Since the persistence of bacterial DNA in valves does not necessarily indicate the persistence of viable bacteria, the detection of bacterial DNA in valves from IE patients should be interpreted with caution, in particular in those patients with a past history of treated IE.     

食管鳞状细胞癌中血管内皮生长因子C mRNA的表达及其临床意义

目的:探讨食管鳞状细胞癌中血管内皮生长因子C(VEGF-C)的表达及临床意义。方法:收集中山大学附属第一医院2009年3月~2010年2月收治的39例食管鳞状细胞癌患者,采用原位杂交法检测肿瘤组织及正常食管组织中VEGF-CmRNA的表达情况,并进行随访观察。结果:食管鳞状细胞癌组织中VEGF-CmRNA表达阳性率为71.8%(28/39),正常食管组织中表达阳性率为12.8%(5/39),两者比较差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。VEGF-CmRNA的表达与食管鳞状细胞癌的淋巴结转移和浸润深度有关,但与性别、年龄和肿瘤组织分化程度无关。随访至死亡或2012年2月29日(以先者为准),VEGF-CmRNA阳性组生存率低于阴性组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论:VEGF-CmRNA的表达与食管鳞状细胞癌的发展、淋巴结转移及预后有相关性。     

Inhibition of experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis in rats by S-antigen-specific monoclonal antibodies

Mouse monoclonal antibodies (mAb), of either IgG2a or IgG2b isotypes, specific for the retinal S-autoantigen (S-Ag) or a pool of rat anti-S-Ag sera prevented experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis in Lewis rats when injected i.p. at the time of immunization. Control mAb of the same isotypes, irrelevant to S-Ag, had no inhibitory effect. The humoral response to S-Ag, as studied by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using a mouse mAb specific for rat kappa chain, was moderately but significantly reduced in suppressed animals. The rapid disappearance of the injected mAb from rat sera, as measured using a rat mAb specific for mouse kappa chain, could be explained by its complexing with either autologous antigen released from the retina at the site of inflammation, or anti-idiotypic antibodies.     

CpG寡脱氧核苷酸对外周血单个核细胞功能的影响：1型糖尿病患者与健康者对照

背景：有研究表明CpG寡脱氧核苷酸可增强外周血单个核细胞的功能,但对1型糖尿病患者的影响至今少有报道。 目的：观察CpG寡脱氧核苷酸对1型糖尿患者患者与健康志愿者外周血单个核细胞γ干扰素、白细胞介素12,10表达的影响。 方法：将1型糖尿病患者与健康志愿者的外周血单个核细胞根据刺激物不同分为空白对照组、CpG寡脱氧核苷酸组。用RT-PCR法检测外周血单个核细胞γ干扰素、白细胞介素12 mRNA和白细胞介素10 mRNA的表达。 结果与结论：1型糖尿患者γ干扰素和白细胞介素12 mRNA的表达明显低于健康志愿者(P < 0.01)。1型糖尿患者与健康志愿者外周血单个核细胞经CpG寡脱氧核苷酸组刺激后,γ干扰素和白细胞介素12 mRNA的表达增高(P < 0.01),白细胞介素10 mRNA的表达无差异(P > 0.05)。结果提示,CpG寡脱氧核苷酸可促进1型糖尿患者外周血单个核细胞表达γ干扰素和白细胞介素12。     

P-glycoprotein expression as a predictor of the outcome of therapy for neuroblastoma.

BACKGROUND AND METHODS. Multidrug resistance in chemotherapy for cancer is characterized by increased genetic expression of P-glycoprotein, which acts as an ATP-dependent drug-efflux pump. To determine whether P-glycoprotein levels are of prognostic value in such cases, we measured these levels immunohistochemically in a retrospective study of sequential tumor samples from 67 children with neuroblastoma. RESULTS. P-glycoprotein was not detected in pretreatment samples from either of the 2 patients with Stage I disease, any of the 21 with Stage II disease, or any of the 8 with Stage IVS disease, but it was detected in the samples from 1 of the 17 patients with Stage III disease (6 percent) and 12 of the 19 with Stage IV disease (63 percent). Of the 44 patients with nonlocalized neuroblastoma (Stage III, IVS, or IV), 26 of the 31 who were negative for P-glycoprotein had a complete response to primary treatment, as compared with 6 of the 13 who were positive for P-glycoprotein (84 percent vs. 46 percent, P = 0.0232 by Fisher's exact test). Log-rank analysis of outcome, with simultaneous stratification according to tumor stage and age, showed that the group that was negative for P-glycoprotein had significantly longer relapse-free survival (P = 0.0011) and overall survival (P = 0.0373) than the group that was positive. CONCLUSIONS. Expression of P-glycoprotein before treatment may predict the success or failure of therapy for nonlocalized neuroblastoma. Neuroblastoma may be a promising tumor to treat with anticancer drug therapy combined with a chemosensitizing agent capable of reversing P-glycoprotein-mediated multidrug resistance.     

血小板反应素-4在胃癌中的表达及其临床意义

目的定量测定血小板反应素-4(TSP-4)基因在胃癌及癌旁组织中的表达,探讨其与胃癌临床病理学特征、微血管密度(MVD)和基质金属蛋白酶-9(MMP-9)表达水平的关系,评价其在胃癌发生和发展中的意义。方法采用RT-PCR技术检测82例配对的胃癌组织及癌旁组织TSP-4mRNA的表达,并分析其与临床病理学特征的关系;通过免疫组织化学检测肿瘤组织中CD34和MMP-9的表达,分析TSP-4mRNA的表达与肿瘤微血管密度、MMP-9表达的相关性。结果TSP-4mRNA在胃癌中的表达高于癌旁组织(P=0.03);胃癌组织中TSP-4mRNA的表达水平与肿瘤大小、组织分型、淋巴结转移、肿瘤微血管密度及MMP-9表达密切相关(P=0.002,P=0.031,P=0.014,r=0.67P0.01,P=0.008),但与性别、年龄及侵袭程度无关(P=0.53,P=0.57,P=0.15)。结论TSP-4可能通过调节胃癌新血管生成和MMP-9的表达,促进肿瘤生长与转移。     

The Th1/Th2 cytokine balance changes with the progress of the immunopathological lesion of Sjogren's syndrome

Expression of type-1 and type-2 cytokines at the mRNA level in labial salivary glands (LSG) of patients with Sjogren's syndrome (SS), as reported by several groups, have generated conflicting results. In the present study we have directly examined the production of IL-4, IL-13 and IFN-gamma by lymphocytes infiltrating the LSG of 44 consecutive patients referred for SS evaluation. Cytokines production was evaluated following in vitro culture of LSG in the presence of IL-2. IFN-gamma and IL-13 were detected in the majority of SN (24/44 and 26/44, respectively) while IL-4 was present in 5/44 SN. The presence of IFN-gamma was significantly higher in SS patients, as opposed to patients who did not fulfil the criteria for SS (P < 0.01). In addition, almost all cultured lymphocytes expressed mRNA for IFN-gamma (17/19 cultures) and IL-13 (18/19) while IL-4 mRNA was also expressed at high frequency (14/19 cultures). Interestingly, the IFN-gamma mRNA copies in cultured lymphocytes correlated significantly with the intensity of lymphocytic infiltration as evaluated by Chisholm's score (P < 0.01). Furthermore, RT-PCR of RNA extracted from whole LSG from 14 SS patients also demonstrated the presence of all cytokines in the majority of the cases and the prevalence of IFN-gamma in LSG with high-grade infiltration. Because IL-13 was produced by the majority of the cultured LSG, IgE production was also evaluated. Interestingly, IgE was detected in 21/44 LSG culture SN and mainly in those biopsies that had Chisholm's score less than 0.5 (P < 0.05). We conclude that lymphocytes infiltrating the LSG are capable of producing both Th1 and Th2 cytokines and that the balance between them shifts in favour of Th1 in LSG with high infiltration score and in patients with SS.