Glucose-responsive insulin-producing cells from stem cells

Recent success with immunosuppression following islet cell transplantation offers hope that a cell transplantation treatment for type 1 (juvenile) diabetes may be possible if sufficient quantities of safe and effective cells can be produced. For the treatment of type 1 diabetes, the two therapeutically essential functions are the ability to monitor blood glucose levels and the production of corresponding and sufficient levels of mature insulin to maintain glycemic control. Stem cells can replicate themselves and produce cells that take on more specialized functions. If a source of stem cells capable of yielding glucose-responsive insulin-producing (GRIP) cells can be identified, then transplantation-based treatment for type 1 diabetes may become widely available. Currently, stem cells from embryonic and adult sources are being investigated for their ability to proliferate and differentiate into cells with GRIP function. Human embryonic pluripotent stem cells, commonly referred to as embryonic stem (ES) cells and embryonic germ (EG) cells, have received significant attention owing to their broad capacity to differentiate and ability to proliferate well in culture. Their application to diabetes research is of particular promise, as it has been demonstrated that mouse ES cells are capable of producing cells able to normalize glucose levels of diabetic mice, and human ES cells can differentiate into cells capable of insulin production. Cells with GRIP function have also been derived from stem cells residing in adult organisms, here referred to as endogenous stem cell sources. Independent of source, stem cells capable of producing cells with GRIP function may provide a widely available cell transplantation treatment for type 1 diabetes.     

Insulin expressing cells from differentiated embryonic stem cells are not beta cells

Aim/hypothesis Embryonic stem (ES) cells have been proposed as a potential source of tissue for transplantation for the treatment of Type 1 diabetes. However, studies showing differentiation of beta cells from ES cells are controversial. The aim of this study was to characterise the insulin-expressing cells differentiated in vitro from ES cells and to assess their suitability for the treatment of diabetes.Methods ES cell-derived insulin-expressing cells were characterised by means of immunocytochemistry, RT-PCR and functional analyses. Activation of the Insulin I promoter during ES-cell differentiation was assessed in ES-cell lines transfected with a reporter gene. ES cell-derived cultures were transplanted into STZ-treated SCID-beige mice and blood glucose concentrations of diabetic mice were monitored for 3 weeks.Results Insulin-stained cells differentiated from ES cells were devoid of typical beta-cell granules, rarely showed immunoreactivity for C-peptide and were mostly apoptotic. The main producers of proinsulin/insulin in these cultures were neurons and neuronal precursors and a reporter gene under the control of the insulin I promoter was activated in cells with a neuronal phenotype. Insulin was released into the incubation medium but the secretion was not glucose-dependent. When the cultures were transplanted in diabetic mice they formed teratomas and did not reverse the hyperglycaemic state.Conclusions/Interpretation Our studies show that insulin-positive cells in vitro-differentiated from ES cells are not beta cells and suggest that alternative protocols, based on enrichment of ES cell-derived cultures with cells of the endodermal lineage, should be developed to generate true beta cells for the treatment of diabetes.Abbreviations ES Embryonic stem - LIF leukemia inhibitory factor - ITSF insulin-transferrin-selenite-fibronectin.Bleackley and Korbutt laboratories contributed equally to this paper     

DC与CIK或LAK联合对结肠癌细胞株SW480杀伤作用的研究

[目的]研究树突状细胞(DC)联合细胞因子诱导或未诱导的杀伤细胞(CIK)或淋巴因子激活的杀伤细胞(LAK)对结肠癌细胞株SW480的杀伤活性.提供DC联合CIK或LAK治疗结肠癌的实验依据.[方法]取人外周血分离出单个核细胞(PBMNC),诱导生成DC、CIK、LAK细胞;流式细胞仪检测DC经SW480肿瘤抗原冲击后的表型变化;以CIK+DC细胞、CIK细胞、LAK+DC细胞及LAK细胞作为效应细胞,SW480为靶细胞,以15∶1、30∶1、45∶1为效靶比,LDH释放法测定细胞杀伤试验活性;ELISA检测杀伤试验中干扰素γ(IFN-γ)、白细胞介素2(IL-2)、IL-12、IL-17的分泌水平.[结果]流式细胞仪检测DC经SW480肿瘤抗原冲击后,其表面分子HLA-DR、CD40、CD80和CD86表达分别平均为90.23％、73.68％、85.96％、57.55％,与未经肿瘤抗原冲击DC比较,DC成熟的表面标志分子表达明显增加(P＜0.01).相同效靶比下,CIK+DC细胞组对SW480的杀伤作用最强,明显高于其他细胞组(P＜0.01);CIK+ DC细胞组在效靶比为45∶1时,杀伤活性最强(P＜0.01);单独CIK细胞组的杀伤活性明显高于LAK+DC细胞组(P＜0.01);LAK+ DC细胞组的杀伤活性明显高于单独LAK细胞组(P＜0.01).效靶比为45∶1时,各杀伤试验细胞组上清液中IFN-γ、IL-2、IL-12、IL-17的分泌量,CIK+DC细胞组的IFN-γ、IL-12的分泌量显著高于其他细胞组(P＜0.05);LAK+DC、单独LAK细胞组IL-2的分泌量明显高于CIK+DC、单独CIK细胞组(P＜0.05);单独CIK细胞组IFN-γ的分泌量明显高于LAK+DC、单独LAK细胞组(P＜0.05).[结论]CIK+DC细胞组对SW480的杀伤活性明显强于单独CIK、LAK+ DC组、单独LAK细胞组.其机制可能是,SW480抗原致敏的DC分泌IFN-γ、IL-12等刺激、诱导CIK细胞的活化和增殖,明显增强CIK细胞杀伤SW480的活性.     

Dendritic cells: specialized antigen presenting cells

Renewing interest in cancer immunotherapy reflects the excellent results that have been obtained in animal models and the promising results in early clinical trails with dendritic cell (DC) based approaches. The central role that DCs play in the initiation of an immune response raises the possibility of using them to trigger specific anti-tumor immunity. In addition, deeper knowledge of DC biology will allow better understanding of the mechanism(s) underlying allergic and autoimmune diseases as well as tolerance phenomena. These crucial issues were critically reviewed during a workshop organized by the Italian Society for Experimental Hematology in Florence, Italy, on March 18th, 1999. The chairmen have prepared this report for the readers of Haematologica.     

树突状细胞联合细胞因子诱导的杀伤细胞对胃癌细胞杀伤作用

目的探讨树突状细胞联合细胞因子诱导的杀伤细胞对胃癌细胞的杀伤作用。方法采用胃癌患者自身血液中单个核细胞(peripheral blood mononuclear cells,PBMC),经体外诱导分别扩增出DC和CIK细胞,二者共同培养后,利用MTT法检测DC细胞联合CIK细胞体外杀伤人胃癌细胞株(MNK-45、MNK-28、SG-7901)的活性。结果DC与CIK细胞共培养后得到的细胞群高表达CD3 CD56 ,平均值达到(56.74±7.63)%。通过彼此相互作用诱导出的细胞群体对胃癌细胞株MNK-45、MNK-28、SG-7901有杀伤作用,且杀伤活性随着效靶比的增加而增强。结论DC与CIK细胞共培养后有很强的增殖能力,对胃癌细胞具有杀伤活性,且其杀伤作用与胃癌细胞类型无相关性。     

Endothelial cells as cytotoxic effector cells: cytokine-activated rat islet endothelial cells lyse syngeneic islet cells via nitric oxide

Summary In vivo, each beta cell is located in proximity to at least one capillary islet endothelial cell. Rat aorta and islet endothelial cells can be activated in vitro to express inducible nitric oxide synthase by a cytokine mixture of tumour necrosis factor-α, gamma-interferon, and interleukin-1β and to produce high concentrations of nitric oxide. We have performed co-culture experiments with rat islet endothelial cells together with isolated syngeneic islet cells at low target : effector ratios with or without previous cytokine challenge of endothelial cultures. Co-cultures were always free of exogenous cytokines, which were removed prior to addition of islet cells. We found that pre-activated, in contrast to resident islet endothelial cells, at a target : effector ratio as low as 1 : 1 almost completely lysed syngeneic beta and non-beta cells within 24 h of co-culture. Lysis by pre-activated islet endothelial cells was found to be preceded by DNA damage found in 46 % of islet cells after 8 h of co-culture with pre-activated vs 7 % with resting islet endothelial cells. Lysis was blocked to control levels in the presence of the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor N^G-methyl-L-arginine. With the results presented here, we demonstrate for the first time, that activated endothelial lining cells can express effector cell activity and thus can contribute to local tissue destruction, especially in organs that are densely capillarized such as pancreatic islets. [Diabetologia (1997) 40: 150–155] Received: 2 September 1996 and in revised form: 24 October 1996     

Stressed apoptotic tumor cells stimulate dendritic cells and induce specific cytotoxic T cells

We have previously reported that stressed apoptotic tumor cells are more immunogenic in vivo than nonstressed ones. Using confocal microscopy we have confirmed our previous observation that heat-stressed apoptotic 12B1-D1 leukemia cells (BCR-ABL(+)) express HSP60 and HSP72 on their surface. To explore how the immune system distinguishes stressed from nonstressed apoptotic tumor cells, we analyzed the responses of dendritic cells to these 2 types of apoptotic cells. We found that nonstressed and heat-stressed apoptotic 12B1-D1 cells were taken up by dendritic cells in a comparable fashion. However, when stressed apoptotic 12B1-D1 cells were coincubated with immature dendritic cells for 24 hours, this resulted in greater up-regulation of costimulatory molecules (CD40, CD80, and CD86) on the surface of dendritic cells. Moreover, stressed apoptotic 12B1-D1 cells were more effective in stimulating dendritic cells to secrete interleukin-12 (IL-12) and in enhancing their immunostimulatory functions in mixed leukocyte reactions. Furthermore, we demonstrated that immunization of mice with stressed apoptotic 12B1-D1 cells induced the secretion of T helper-1 (T(H)1) profile of cytokines by spleen cells. Splenocytes from mice immunized with stressed apoptotic cells, but not nonstressed ones, were capable of lysing 12B1-D1 and the parental 12B1 line, but not a B-cell leukemia line, A20. Our data indicate that stressed apoptotic tumor cells are capable of providing the necessary danger signals, likely through increased surface expression of heat shock proteins (HSPs), resulting in activation/maturation of dendritic cells and, ultimately, the generation of potent antitumor T-cell responses.     

Plasma cells induce apoptosis of pre-B cells by interacting with bone marrow stromal cells

By using two-color phenotypic analysis with fluorescein isothiocyanate- anti-CD38 and phycoerythrin-anti-CD19 antibodies, we found that pre-B cells (CD38+CD19+) signifcantly decreased depending on the number of plasma cells (CD38++CD19+) in the bone marrow (BM) in the cases with BM plasmacytosis, such as myelomas and even polyclonal gammopathy. To clarify how plasma cells suppress survival of pre-B cells, we examined the effect of plasma cells on the survival of pre-B cells with or without BM-derived stromal cells in vitro. Pre-B cells alone rapidly entered apoptosis, but interleukin-7 (IL-7), a BM stromal cell line (KM- 102), or culture supernatants of KM-102 cells could support pre-B cell survival. On the other hand, inhibitory factors such as transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) and macrophage inflammatory protein- 1beta (MIP-1beta) could suppress survival of pre-B cells even in the presence of IL-7. Plasma cells alone could not suppress survival of pre- B cells in the presence of IL-7, but coculture of plasma cells with KM- 102 cells or primary BM stromal cells induced apoptosis of pre-B cells. Supernatants of coculture with KM-102 and myeloma cell lines (KMS-5) also could suppress survival of pre-B cells. Furthermore, we examined the expression of IL-7, TGF-beta1, and MIP-1beta mRNA in KM-102 cells and primary stromal cells cocultured with myeloma cell lines (KMS-5). In these cells, IL-7 mRNA was downregulated, but the expression of TGF- beta1 and MIP-1beta mRNA was augmented. Therefore, these results suggest that BM-derived stromal cells attached to plasma (myeloma) cells were modulated to secrete lesser levels of supporting factor (IL- 7) and higher levels of inhibitory factors (TGF-beta1 and MIP-1beta) for pre-B cell survival, which could explain why the increased number of plasma (myeloma) cells induced suppression of pre-B cells in the BM. This phenomenon may represent a feedback loop between pre-B cells and plasma cells via BM stromal cells in the BM.     

侧群细胞与肝癌干细胞

肝癌是严重威胁人类生命和健康的一种疾病.其病因和发病机制尚不完全清楚,治疗缺少有效靶点.对肝癌恶性生长、转移及复发机制的研究正在逐渐深入.近年来的研究认为,肿瘤中存在一小群具有自我更新和分化潜能的细胞,即肿瘤干细胞,可能是肿瘤转移和复发的根源.肝癌中应同样存在这样的一群细胞.侧群(side population,SP)细胞是肿瘤细胞中一小部分,具备干细胞的多种特性且易于分离.肝癌组织中SP细胞的鉴定和分离有可能找到肝癌干细胞,有助于肝癌的转移和复发机制的研究,并为肝癌治疗提供有效治疗靶点.     

Differentiation of mesodermal cells from pluripotent stem cells

The pluripotency of embryonic stem cells has been well demonstrated by a vast variety of studies showing the induction of differentiation into desired cell types that have the potential to be used not only in basic studies but also in medical applications. The induction of mesodermal cells, especially blood cells, from embryonic stem cells is notable from the point of view of transplantation, and the methods for this induction have improved over the last few years, with more defined culture conditions in place. Concurrently, the generation of induced pluripotent stem cells from somatic cells opens the possibility of autologous transplantation. In fact, there are a growing number of reports demonstrating that several mesodermal cells can be differentiated from induced pluripotent stem cells using the same methods used for embryonic stem cells. This review summarizes recent advances in the differentiation of mesodermal cells from embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells.