Autocrine and paracrine regulation of astrocyte function by transforming growth factor-β

Recent evidence indicates that astrocytes have a wide range of functions, usually attributed to cells of the immune system, which are critical for maintaining a balanced homeostatic environment in the central nervous system (CNS). Moreover, these cells are known to participate in inflammatory events within the CNS by secreting cytokines such as transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β). In this study we have investigated the ability of TGF-β to influence astrocyte functions. TGF-β mRNA is constitutively expressed by astrocytes in vitro, and when cultures are stimulated with exogenous TGF-β1 an increase in the expression of this mRNA can be shown, suggesting both autocrine and paracrine regulation. In in vitro assays, TGF-β1 is chemotactic for astrocytes in a dose-dependent fashion and inhibits astrocyte proliferation. These results indicating signal transduction by TGF-β1-prompted studies to explore receptor-ligand interactions on isolated astrocyte populations. In a receptor binding assay, we demonstrate that astrocytes appear to express three distinct TGF-β receptor subtypes with nearly 10 000 receptors per cell. Thus, TGF-β may play an important role in regulating astrocyte functions pivotal to the evolution of intracerebral immune responses including recruitment and activation of glial cells at local inflammatory sites within the CNS.     

Genetic variation in the transforming growth factor β1 gene in multiple sclerosis

Transforming growth factor β1 (TGFβ1) is a Th2 cytokine encoded on chromosome 19q13, a region possibly linked to multiple sclerosis (MS). TGFβ1 exerts favorable effects on experimental allergic encephalomyelitis. We performed a comprehensive search for genetic variants in this gene in 122 population-based sporadic cases of MS. We detected six variants, including three missense variants. We tested for association of the variants with susceptibility and course of MS and for linkage and transmission disequilibrium in a family series consisting of 395 samples in 59 pedigrees. Genetic variation in TGFB1 does not appear to contribute in a major way to susceptibility to MS.     

Induction of communicating hydrocephalus in mice by intrathecal injection of human recombinant transforming growth factor-β1

Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) is a multi-functional polypeptide, which controls proliferation, differentiation of various cells, and regulates synthesis of extracellular matrix proteins. We injected human recombinant TGF-β1 into the subarachnoid space of 10-day-old C57BL/6 mice in order to study the role of TGF-β1, which is known to be released from platelets into the cerebrospinal fluid following subarachnoid hemorrhage. The ventricular system became dilated within 3 weeks following the injection and the body weights of injected mice stopped increasing 6 weeks after injection of TGF-β1. Microscopic examination revealed dilatation of the ventricular system, and that the outlets of the ventricles were not obliterated. Electron microscopy showed diminution of cilia on the ependyma. These results demonstrate that TGF-β1 induces communicating hydrocephalus in mice. This hydrocephalic model should be useful in further studies on the pathogenesis of normal pressure hydrocephalus following subarachnoid hemorrhage in man.     

Transforming growth factor-β1 inhibits tumor necrosis factor-α/lymphotoxin production and adoptive transfer of disease by effector cells of autoimmune encephalomyelitis

We previously reported that the CD4⁺ suppressor cells (Ts) that regulate recovery of Lewis rats from experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) produce transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β). We also reported that TGF-β downregulates interferon-γ (IFN-γ), but not interleukin-2 (IL-2) production, by the CD4⁺ effector T cells (Te) that mediate EAE. We now report that TGF-β also inhibits the production of tumor necrosis factor/lymphotoxin (TNF/LT) by EAE effector cells. When activated in vitro with myelin basic protein (MBP), Te produced TNF/LT, as measured using a WEHI 164 cytotoxicity assay. The specificity of cytokine action was demonstrated using neutralizing antibodies to TNF/LT. When added to the Te + MBP cultures, TGF-β inhibited TNF/LT production in a dose-dependent fashion. Moreover, neutralizing anti-TGF-β antibodies augmented TNF/LT production in the Te + MBP cultures. We also confirm that TGF-β inhibits adoptive transfer of EAE. In contrast, murine IL-10 only partially inhibited TNF/LT and IFN-γ production by Te. We conclude that TGF-β production by Ts plays a major role in recovery from EAE in the Lewis rat by inhibiting TNF/LT and IFN-γ production by the effector cells that mediate EAE.     

Tumor necrosis factor α and transforming growth factor β upregulate astrocyte expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1

Astrocytes participate in the pathophysiology of central nervous system (CNS) inflammatory disease. Astrocyte expression of adhesion molecules, cytokines, and major histocompatibility complex antigens may contribute to these inflammatory processes. In addition, recent data suggested that astrocytes may be a source of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1). MCP-1 is a member of the chemokine family of small cytokines and functions both as a chemoattractant as well as a stimulator of monocytes. To further characterize the role of astrocytes in CNS inflammation, we examined the effect of inflammatory cytokines on MCP-1 expression by astrocytes. Results of these studies demonstrate that the pro-inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFa) upregulates MCP-1 message and protein expression. The pleiotropic cytokine transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) also stimulated MCP-1 expression. When astrocytes were exposed to both cytokines simultaneously, an additive effect on MCP-1 message, but not MCP-1 protein expression, was observed. These data suggest that TNFa and TGFβ, each present during CNS inflammatory disease, may upregulate the expression of MCP-1 which, in turn, may function to both recruit monocytes to the site of inflammation as well as to activate those monocytes already present in an inflammatory lesion.     

Effect of transforming growth factor-β1 and -β2 on Schwann cell proliferation on neurites

Mechanisms regulating Schwann cell proliferation during development are unclear. Schwann cell division is known to be driven by an unidentified mitogen present on the surface of axons, but it is not known whether other molecules play a role in regulating this proliferation. Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) which is found in the developing peripheral nervous system (PNS) and is mitogenic for neuron-free Schwann cells in vitro could be involved. We have investigated the effects of TGF-β 1, TGF-β 2 and antibodies to TGF-β and TGF-β 2 on axon driven Schwann cell proliferation. Rat embryonic dorsal root ganglion neurons (DRG) neurons and Schwann cells from the sciatic nerve were isolated, purified and recombined in vitro. Confirming earlier reports by others, we observed that TGF-β 1 and TGF-β 2 added to the culture medium stimulated the proliferation of Schwann cells in the absence of neurons. However, when added to neuron-Schwann cell co-cultures, TGFβ caused a variable response ranging from no effect to moderate inhibition of Schwann cell proliferation in different experiments. A stimulation of Schwann cell proliferation by TGFβ was never observed in neuron-Schwann cell co-cultures. Antibodies to TGF-β and TGF-β 2 did not influence axon driven Schwann cell proliferation. To further determine the role of TGF-β in Schwann cell proliferation and myelination, we studied Schwann cell proliferation in cultures from mice in which the TGF-β 1 gene was delected by homologous recombination. Neuron-Schwann cell cultures from wild-type, heterozygous and homozygous mice were used. No differences were observed in either Schwann cell proliferation or myelination between cultures obtained from homozygous mutants and their heterozygous and wild-type controls. These findings suggest that TGF-β does not function as a part of the mitogenic mechanism presented by neurons to Schwann cells, but that the presence of active TGFβ in the cellular environment might regulate the degree of proliferation induced by neuronal contact. Copy 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Transforming growth factor-β1 inhibits the proliferation of rat astrocytes induced by serum and growth factors

A number of cytokines and growth factors may affect astrocyte proliferation and functions. Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) is a pleiotropic cytokine which exerts multiple effects on growth and differentiation of different cell types. TGF-β1 is present in low amounts in the normal brain. TGF-β1 gene expression, however, is increased in the central nervous system (CNS) in several pathological conditions. In this study we examined the in vitro effects of TGF-β1 on the proliferative response of rat astrocytes to serum and growth factors. Astrocyte cultures were established from the cerebellum and cortex of newborn Lewis rats. The proliferative response of these cultures to serum and growth factors [platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), epidermal growth factor (EGF), insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), IGF-2, interleukin 1 (IL-1)] was studied by [³H]-thymidine incorporation test in the presence or absence of TGF-β1. TGF-β1 significantly inhibited the proliferative response of astrocyte cultures to both autologous and heterologous serum. In addition, a strong inhibition of bFGF-, EGF-, and PDGF-induced proliferation was observed. The effect of TGF-β1 on the proliferative response to IL-1 was less evident but still significant. No effect was observed when TGF-β1 was added to IGF-1 and IGF-2 stimulated cultures. These data confirm previous reports showing a down-regulating activity of TGF-β on astrocyte proliferation and suggest that this cytokine may play physiological and pharmacological roles in the regulation of reactive astrocytosis in the CNS. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Recombinant interleukin-1β stimulates eicosanoid production in rat primary culture astrocytes

Astrocytes may play a prominent role in the initiation of immunoinflammatory responses in the central nervous system. They can be induced to synthesize eicosanoids but how immunologically relevant molecules modulate this process is not known. We examined the influence of recombinant interleukin-1 (rIL-1), an immunomodulating monokine on the release of arachidonic acid metabolites. IL-1 (1–30 U) induced a dose-related elaboration predominantly of the cyclo-oxygenation products prostaglandin E and throm☐ane B₂. Preincubation of rIL-1 with a specific antibody abrogated and heat-inactivation destroyed this activity. Both mepacrine and the isoquinolinesulfonamide H7 blocked the stimulatory effect dose-dependently, indicating involvement of protein kinase C in this novel biologic activity of IL-1. In central nervous system inflammation, IL-1-evoked release from astrocytes of arachidonic acid-derived metabolites may influence the severity of phlogistic responses and modulate local immune reactivity.     

Neuroleptics normalize increased release of interleukin-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α from monocytes in schizophrenia

Some recent reports show that schizophrenia is accompanied by changes in lymphocyte activity. This study investigated the activity of monocytes by determining their release of interleukin- 1 beta (IL- 1 beta) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). Monocytes were immunomagnetically isolated from the peripheral blood of schizophrenic patients before and after neuroleptic medication and stimulated by lipopolisaccharide (LPS) in vitro. The monocytes of schizophrenic patients released significantly higher amounts of IL- 1 beta and TNF-alpha than those of healthy controls. Treatment with the typical neuroleptics haloperidol and perazine decreased the release of IL- 1 beta and TNF-alpha to the control levels. The study has shown that the activity of monocytes is increased in schizophrenia and that neuroleptic treatment normalizes this activity.     

Transforming growth factor-β1 and -β2 promote neurite sprouting and elongation of cultured rat hippocampal neurons

Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) is known as a potent regulator of cell proliferation and differentiation. In the present study, we investigated the effects of TGF-β1 and -β2 on the survival, neurite sprouting and process elongation of primary cultured hippocampal neurons obtained from rat embryos. Addition of TGF-β1 little affected the total number of surviving neurons, but clearly increased the number of neurons bearing processes, indicating that TGF-β1 promotes neurite sprouting rather than neuronal survival. Furthermore, TGF-β1 significantly promoted the elongation of axon-like processes, but did not affect the process branching and the number of dendrite-like processes. TGF-β2 also promoted the neurite sprouting and stimulated the elongation of axons without affecting the branching. The effects of TGF-β2 were very similar to those of TGF-β1 in terms of both effective concentrations (0.1–1 ng/ml) and maximal effects. It is possible that TGF-β1 and -β2 play roles in the formation of neuritic networks in the central nervous system.     

TGF-α induces a stationary, radial-glia like phenotype in cultured astrocytes

Transgenic mice studies have suggested that transforming growth factor-α (TGF-α) influences the postnatal differentiation of astrocytes. To understand the role of TGF-α during astrocytic differentiation, it is important to determine how this factor affects astrocytes in the absence of other influences. We have thus examined in vitro under serum-free medium conditions the effect of TGF-α on the properties of astrocytes derived from the cerebral cortex of newborn rats. When TGF-α is added to serum-free medium, most astrocytes lose their polygonal shape and extend two long processes running in opposite directions. This bipolar morphology strikingly resembles that of radial glial cells. Intriguingly, serum inhibits this morphological transformation. TGF-α also triggers an increase in glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) expression and a decrease in nestin expression. Another major effect of TGF-α is to practically abolish the motility of astrocytes. TGF-α, however, does not appear to influence the proliferation and apoptosis of astrocytes. These results suggest that polygonal astrocytes are derived primarily from radial glial cells, and that in vivo TGF-α may be instrumental in determining the shape and migratory potential of radial glial cells.     

Cytokines in relapsing experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in DA rats: persistent mRNA expression of proinflammatory cytokines and absent expression of interleukin-10 and transforming growth factor-β

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) in rats is typically a brief and monophasic disease with sparse demyelination. However, inbred DA rats develop a demyelinating, prolonged and relapsing encephalomyelitis after immunization with rat spinal cord in incomplete Freund's adjuvant. This model enables studies of mechanisms related to chronicity and demyelination, two hallmarks of multiple sclerosis (MS). Here we have investigated, in situ, the dynamics of cytokine mRNA expression in the central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral lymphoid organs (lymph node cells and splenocytes) of diseased DA rats. We demonstrate that peripheral lymphoid cells stimulated in vitro with encephalitogenic peptides 69–87 and 87–101 of myelin basic protein responded with high mRNA expression for proinflammatory cytokines; Interferon-7, interleukin-12 (IL-12), tumour necrosis factors α and β, IL-1β and cytolysin. A high expression of mRNA for these proinflammatory cytokines was also observed in the CNS where it was accompanied by classical signs of inflammation such as expression of major histocompatibility complex class I and II, CD4, CDS and IL-2 receptor. The expression of mRNA for proinflammatory cytokines was remarkably long-lasting in DA rats as compared to LEW rats which display a brief and monophasic EAE. Furthermore, mRNAs for putative immunodownmodulatory cytokines i.e. transforming growth factor-β (TGF-/3), IL-10 and IL-4 were almost absent in DA rats, in both the CNS and in vitro stimulated peripheral lymphoid cells, while their levels were elevated in the CNS of LEW rats during the recovery phase. We conclude that the MS-like prolonged and relapsing EAE in DA rats is associated with a prolonged production of proinflammatory cytokines and/or low or absent production of immunodownmodulatory cytokines.     

Microglial cell upregulation of HIV-1 expression in the chronically infected promonocytic cell line U1: the role of tumor necrosis factor-α

Culture supernatants from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated murine microglial cells were found to markedly induce the expression of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 in the chronically infected human promonocytic cell line U1 as detected by measurements of HIV-1 p24 antigen release into U1 culture supernatants. Antibody to tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α had an inhibitory effect on the induction of virus by microglial cell supernatants. Also, treatment of microglia with pentoxifylline, an inhibitor of TNF-α production, resulted in suppressed amounts of TNF in the supernatants of LPS-treated microglia and in a reduced stimulatory capacity of these supernatants on HIV-1 expression in U1 cells. These findings support the concept that TNF-α production by glial cells plays a pathogenetic role in HIV-1-associated brain disease by promoting the expression of the virus in infected cells.     

Multidrug transport in human glioblastoma cells is inhibited by transforming growth factors type beta 1, beta 2, and beta 1.2

The transforming growth factors type beta 1, beta 2, and beta 1.2 suppress multidrug transport in human pat-1 glioblastoma cells and even in cells that strongly over-express mdr genes and are resistant to inhibition of multidrug transport by chemosensitizers. Thus, inhibition of multidrug transport by cytokines might be a new approach to increase cellular accumulation of chemotherapeutic agents in multidrug resistant glial tumor cells. Interestingly, a member of the more distantly related decapentaplegic subgroup of transforming growth factors, the bone morphogenetic protein BMP 2, did not inhibit multidrug transport.     

Transforming growth factors type β1 and β2 suppress rat astrocyte autoantigen presentation and antagonize hyperinduction of class II major histocompatibility complex antigen expression by interferon-γ and tumor necrosis factor-α

The transforming growth factors (TGF) type β₁ and β₂ are regulatory cytokines strongly affecting rat astrocyte immune functions. Both cytokines suppressed presentation of autoantigen by astrocytes: highly encephalotogenic T cells cocultured with TGF-β-treated astrocytes in the presence of myelin basic protein did not become activated to transfer experimental allergic encephalomyelitis, a central nervous system (CNS) autoimmune disease. Furthermore, TGF-β₁ and -β₂ antagonized hyperinduction of astrocyte major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II antigen expression by interferon-γ and tumor necrosis factor-α. Thus, TGF-β might be a potential regulator of CNS inflammation.     

Susceptibility and resistance of human autoimmune T cell activation to the immunoregulatory effects of transforming growth factor (TGF) β1, β2 and β1.2

The transforming growth factors type beta (TGF-beta) regulate immune responses by suppressing a variety of leukocyte functions. Using a panel of human autoimmune T cell lines specific for the acetylcholine receptor (AchR) we investigated the immunoregulatory effects of TGF-beta 1, TGF-beta 2, and TGF-beta 1.2. The cytokines have identical effects inhibiting activation of most T line cells and the activation-dependent changes in interleukin-2 (IL-2) receptor and T cell receptor expression. IL-2-dependent growth was not modulated by TGF-beta. However, autoimmune T cell lines specific for AchR differ in their susceptibility to TGF-beta and some are completely refractory. Resistance of autoimmune T cell activation to immunosuppressive cytokines might be an element in the development of chronic autoimmune disease.     

Transforming growth factor-β1 exhibits delayed gene expression following focal cerebral ischemia

Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) is a pleiotropic peptide growth factor. The expression of TGF-β1 mRNA in the focal ischemic cortex of rats was studied by means of Northern hybridization. A moderately low level of constitutively expressed TGF-β1 mRNA was detected following ohm surgery or in the contralateral (nonlschemic) cortex. A significant increase of TGF-β1 mRNA level in the ischemic cortex was observed at 2 days (3.2-fold increase compared to sham-operated animals, p < 0.01, N = 4) following permanent occlusion of the middle cerebral artery (PMCAO). The elevated TGF-μ1 mRNA expression was plateaued for up to 16 days (3–6-fold increase, p < 0.01) following PMCAO- This temporal profile for TGF-β1 mRNA expression in focal stroke was significantly delayed compared to that of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 MRNA expressions as demonstrated previously which peaked at 12 h and decreased to almost basal levels by S days following PMCAO. Interestingly, the TGF-β1 mRNA expression profile was remarkably parallel with that of monocyte/macrophage accumulation in the ischemic cortex, as well as with the increased formation of extracellular matrix in the focal ischemic brain. These data suggest that TGF-β1 may play a role in anti-inflammatory process and in tissue remodeling following ischernic brain injury.