Interferon-alpha stimulates production of interleukin-10 in activated CD4+ T cells and monocytes

In the present study, we investigated the effect of interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) on the expression of interleukin-10 (IL-10) mRNA and protein synthesis in human monocytes and CD4+ T cells. In mononuclear cells, IFN-alpha induced expression of IL-10 mRNA and further enhanced lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated IL-10 expression. In purified monocytes, a strong expression of IL-10 mRNA induced by LPS was not further enhanced by IFN-alpha. In highly purified CD4+ T cells, IFN- alpha upregulated IL-10 mRNA upon activation with phytohemagglutinin and phorbol myristate acetate. In purified monocytes, an effect of IFN- alpha on IL-10 protein synthesis was dependent on costimulation with LPS. Maximal stimulation of IL-10 protein by IFN-alpha was seen after prolonged incubation periods of 48 to 96 hours, whereas IFN-gamma reduced IL-10 production in the early incubation period. Similar effects of IFN-alpha were observed in CD4+ T cells activated with CD3 and CD28 monoclonal antibodies. Addition of IFN-alpha caused an increase of IL-10 in culture supernatants of activated T-helper cells of more than 100% after 96 hours of incubation. In contrast, other cytokines, including IFN-gamma and IL-4, had no influence on IL-10 secretion stimulated by CD3 and CD28 in CD4+ T cells. In serum samples of IFN-alpha-treated individuals, we failed to detect an influence of cytokine treatment on IL-10 serum levels, confirming the requirement of additional activating signals for IFN-alpha-mediated effects on IL-10 synthesis. In conclusion, IFN-alpha enhances the late induction of IL- 10, which physiologically occurs upon stimulation of monocytes and T cells. Biologically, this effect might enhance the negative-feedback mechanism ascribed to IL-10, which limits inflammatory reactions.     

Rapid mobilization of hematopoietic progenitor cells in rhesus monkeys by a single intravenous injection of interleukin-8

Interleukin-8 (IL-8) is a chemoattractant cytokine involved in chemotaxis and activation of neutrophils. Because in vivo administration of IL-8 induces mobilization of hematopoietic stem cells in mice, we assessed the mobilizing properties of IL-8 in rhesus monkeys. Recombinant human IL-8 was administered as a single intravenous injection at doses of 10, 30, and 100 micrograms/kg to rhesus monkeys (age, 2 to 3 years; weight, 2.5 to 4.5 kg). Venous blood samples were obtained at time intervals ranging from 1 to 480 minutes after IL-8 administration. Cell counts, colony-forming unit-Mix assays, and fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis were performed. Plasma was harvested to assess IL-8 levels. A time-controlled bolus intravenous injection of 100 micrograms IL-8 per kilogram of body weight resulted in peak IL-8 plasma levels up to 5 micrograms/mL. The calculated half-time life of free IL-8 was 9.9 +/- 2.2 minutes. IL-8 injection resulted in instant neutropenia that was due to pulmonary sequestration, as shown using 99mTc-labeled leukocytes. Within 30 minutes after IL-8 injection, neutrophilia developed with counts up to 10-fold greater than baseline levels. The numbers of hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) increased from 45 +/- 48/mL to 1,382 +/- 599/mL of blood at 30 minutes after injection of 100 micrograms IL-8 per kilogram of bodyweight (mean +/- SD, n = 8). Individual animals showed 10- to 100-fold increase in numbers of circulating HPCs that returned to almost pretreatment values (92 +/- 52 CFU/mL) at 240 minutes after the injection of IL-8. Immunophenotyping showed no significant changes in lymphocyte (sub)populations. A second bolus injection of IL-8 with an interval of 72 hours resulted in similar numbers of mobilized stem cells as observed after the first injection, showing that no tachyphylaxis had occurred. We conclude that IL-8 induces mobilization of HPCs from the bone marrow of rhesus monkeys in a rapid and reproducible fashion. Therefore, IL-8 may be a potentially useful cytokine in the setting of blood stem cell transplantation.     

Proliferation of myeloid progenitor cells in human long-term bone marrow cultures is stimulated by interleukin-1 beta

To study the effect of interleukin-1 (IL-1) beta on the proliferation of hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPC) in long-term bone marrow cultures (LTBMC), stromal cell layers were established from normal human bone marrow. Autologous cryopreserved mononuclear phagocyte- and T-lymphocyte-depleted bone marrow cells were reinoculated on the stromal layers in fresh culture medium, with or without the addition of human IL-1 beta (30 U/mL). Once a week, half of the culture supernatant was replaced with fresh culture medium with or without IL-1, and all nonadherent cells were returned to the flasks. At weekly intervals during a period of 5 weeks, one culture was sacrificed to determine the total number of cells and hematopoietic progenitor cells, present in the adherent and the nonadherent cell fractions. In IL-1-stimulated cultures, the number of cells recovered during a period of 5 weeks exceeded the number of cells in unstimulated control cultures by 1.5 times. This difference was attributed to a twofold increase in the number of adherent cells. The number of HPC recovered from IL-1- stimulated cultures was not different from that recovered from controls. The levels of colony-stimulating activity (CSA) in supernatants from IL-1-stimulated cultures were significantly higher than those in supernatants from control cultures. These results indicate that IL-1 enhances the recovery of cells in LTBMC by stimulating the proliferation of HPC with the concurrent release of CSA from stromal cells, without diminishing the number of HPC.     

Purging of acute myeloid leukemic cells by ether lipids and hyperthermia

Ether lipids (EL) and hyperthermia have been shown to possess a relatively selective cytotoxicity to leukemic cells. In this study, the combined effects of EL (ET-18-OCH3, ET-16-NHCOCH3, or BM 41.440) and hyperthermia on the growth of hematopoietic progenitors, myeloid leukemic cell lines, and leukemic cells obtained from patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) were examined to determine if this combination resulted in a greater selective killing of leukemic cells than that achieved by either EL or heat alone. When the cells were treated simultaneously with EL (50 micrograms/mL) and hyperthermia (42 degrees C) for one hour, the killing of leukemic cell line cells was enhanced considerably. Among the three EL, however, the combination of ET-18-OCH3 and heat seemed to be the most cytotoxic to leukemic cell line cells with no effect on the growth of hematopoietic progenitors. An increase in the duration of treatment with ET-18-OCH3 to four hours with heat added during the last hour resulted in a further reduction of leukemic cell line cells while sparing 50% of hematopoietic progenitors after cryopreservation. The combined treatment with ET-18-OCH3 and heat also inhibited the growth of leukemic progenitors obtained from AML patients by 97% to 100%. These data indicate that the combined treatment with EL and hyperthermia might offer an efficient means to eliminate myeloid leukemic cells in vitro.     

Interferon-γ: Promising therapeutic target in atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the vasculature and is the primary cause of cardiovascular disease(CVD). CVD is currently the world's leading cause of death and the numbers are predicted to rise further because of a global increase in risk factors such as diabetes and obesity. Current therapies such as statins have had a major impact in reducing mortality from CVD. However, there is a marked residual CVD risk in patients on statin therapy. It is therefore important to understand the molecular basis of this disease in detail and to develop alternative novel therapeutics. Interferon-γ(IFN-γ) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine that is often regarded as a master regulator of atherosclerosis development. IFN-γ is able to influence several key steps during atherosclerosis development, including pro-inflammatory gene expression, the recruitment of monocytes from the blood to the activated arterial endothelium and plaque stability. This central role of IFN-γ makes it a promising therapeutic target. The purpose of this editorial is to describe the key role IFN-γ plays during atherosclerosis development, as well as discuss potential strategies to target it therapeutically.     

腹腔镜在小儿离断性肾盂成形术中的应用与随访

目的 探讨腹腔镜下离断性肾盂成形术的效果及适应证.方法 总结21例经腹腔途径行腹腔镜离断性肾盂成形术治疗肾盂输尿管连接部狭窄(UPJO)所致肾积水的经验,对比同期开放手术治疗的35例患儿术后影像学.结果 第一例腹腔镜肾盂成形术历时4 h 50 min,随后的20例为1 h 40 min～2 h 30 min,术中出血量5～10 ml.20例术后3～5 d出院,恢复好.1例术后7 d因患儿外伤性肾盂内出血,血块堵塞双J管,致肾盂漏尿、形成尿腹,遂行开放探查术;术中见吻合口良好,清除肾盂内血块,冲洗双J管,放置.肾造瘘管,7 d后拔除肾造瘘管出院.21例患儿术后4～6周拔除双J管.2组患儿均分别在术后1个月、3个月、6个月行B超或CTU检查.腔镜组吻合口通畅率为95.2%(20/21),开放组为100%(35/35),二者差异无显著性意义.结论 熟练掌握腹腔镜缝合技术,是圆满完成经腹腔镜离断性肾盂成形术的基础.腹腔镜下手术创伤轻微,手术效果与传统的开放手术无差别;在应用腹腔镜肾盂成形术的初期,宜选择中度以下肾盂扩张的病例,待熟练后,逐步应用于重度积水病例,确保手术效果.     

Cytomorphological and molecular genetic findings in pediatric thyroid fine‐needle aspiration

BACKGROUND:

The Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology is largely based on data from adult studies. Although thyroid nodules in children are rare, the rate of malignancy is high. The authors' aim was to analyze the cytomorphology and mutational profiles in pediatric thyroid fine‐needle aspirations (FNAs).

METHODS:

Thyroid FNAs from patients 21 years old or younger were identified from the authors' pathology archive, categorized using the Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology, and correlated with histological and molecular follow‐up.

RESULTS:

A total of 179 samples from 142 patients were identified, including 96 cases (54%) with histological follow‐up and 66 cases (37%) with molecular data. The diagnoses included 21 (12%) unsatisfactory, 82 (46%) negative, 43 (24%) atypia or follicular lesion of undetermined significance, 19 (11%) suspicious for follicular neoplasm, 6 (3%) suspicious for malignancy, and 8 (4%) positive for malignancy. The rate of malignancy in each category was 0%, 7%, 28%, 58%, 100%, and 100%, respectively. Of the 66 FNAs with molecular data, there were 11 (17%) positive for mutations. All mutation‐positive FNAs were papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTCs) on resection. The overall sensitivity and specificity in this population were 80% and 100%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS:

This study demonstrates that thyroid FNA in children is a sensitive and highly specific tool. There was a 17% positivity rate for a genetic mutation, which correlated with malignancy in all cases. In comparison to adults, there was a higher prevalence of RET/PTC mutations and lower prevalence of BRAF mutations, which may in part explain the less aggressive nature of PTCs reported in children. Cancer (Cancer Cytopathol) 2012. © 2012 American Cancer Society.     

负载抗原的DC与CIK共培养对耐药乳腺癌细胞的杀伤作用

目的:观察负载抗原的树突状细胞(dendritic cell,DC)与细胞因子诱导的杀伤细胞(cytokine-induced killer cell,CIK)对高表达P-糖蛋白(P-glycoprotein,P-gp)的多药耐药(multidrug resistance,MDR)人乳腺癌MCF-7/ADR细胞的杀伤作用。方法:提取健康人外周血单个核细胞,常规诱导出CIK及DC;制备MCF-7/ADR细胞冻融抗原后冲击DC,并与CIK共培养作为实验组(冻融物DC-CIK组),未负载抗原的DC与CIK共培养作为对照组(DC-CIK组),同时设单独培养的CIK组或DC组作为空白对照组。流式细胞术分析细胞的表型及P-gp表达,ELISA法测定细胞上清中IL-12、IFN-γ水平,MTT法检测对MCF-7/ADR及MCF-7细胞株的杀伤活性。结果:冻融物DC-CIK组、DC-CIK组细胞增殖活性均大于CIK组(P<0.05)。冻融物DC-CIK组对MCF-7/ADR、MCF-7细胞的杀伤活性在效靶比10∶1、20∶1、40∶1时分别为(44.29±1.39)%、(58.24±3.52)%、(68.9±2.83)%和(33.51±2.18)、(40.43±2.3)%、(44.62±1.19)%,均高于DC-CIK组及CIK组(P<0.05);冻融物DC-CIK组对MCF-7/ADR耐药细胞株的杀伤活性高于非耐药细胞株MCF7(P<0.05);而对于非耐药株MCF-7细胞的杀伤活性,冻融物DC-CIK组和DC-CIK组之间差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论:DC与CIK共培养细胞增殖活性和细胞毒活性均强于CIK,经冻融抗原冲击的DC与CIK共培养可以显著提高对MCF-7/ADR耐药细胞株的杀伤活性。