14-3-3σ调控p27抑制Rat1-Akt细胞增殖

目的： 研究腺病毒介导14-3-3·σ（Ad-14-3-3·σ）对Akt过表达Rat1-Akt细胞增殖的影响，并探讨其作用是否通过调控p27而实现。 方法： 通过5-溴-2′脱氧尿嘧啶（BrdU）实验检测Ad-14-3-3·σ对Rat1-Akt细胞增殖的影响，并通过激酶分析法和免疫荧光实验探讨Ad-14-3-3·σ对p27磷酸化水平及其在细胞内定位的影响。 结果： Ad-14-3-3σ转染的细胞BrdU阳性率（45%）低于PBS处理组（100%）或Ad-β-gal转染的对照组细胞（98%）。14-3-3σ可降低磷酸化p27的水平和减少Akt介导的p27在胞浆中的定位。 结论： 转染14-3-3σ基因能抑制Akt过表达细胞株Rat1-Akt增殖，14-3-3σ通过降低Akt激酶磷酸化p27的活性，阻断Akt介导的p27胞浆错位，从而发挥其抑制Rat1-Akt细胞增殖。     

氧化修饰低密度脂蛋白可诱导人单核细胞源树突状细胞形成泡沫细胞

目的： 探讨氧化修饰低密度脂蛋白（ox-LDL）对人单核细胞源树突状细胞（DC）功能的影响。 方法： 采用免疫磁珠法分离人外周血CD14+单核细胞，经含rhGM-CSF（100 μg/L）和rhIL-4（20 μg/L）的Cellgro培养，使其分化为DC。DC与100 mg/L天然的或氧化修饰的LDL孵育72 h后，采用透射电镜和尼罗红染色观察细胞内脂质沉积，流式细胞术检测DC表型（CD1a，CD40，CD86，HLA-DR），混合T淋巴细胞反应检测DC对淋巴细胞增殖的影响，FITC-dextran检测DC吞噬功能，ELISA检测细胞培养上清Th1/Th2 (IL-12/IL-2)细胞因子的浓度。 结果： ox-LDL可诱导DC形成泡沫细胞，而天然的LDL无此作用。经ox-LDL处理的DC吞噬作用明显弱于天然的LDL，而对T细胞增殖作用却明显强于天然的LDL；可明显上调CD80(72.4±9.6 vs 89.5±10.1, P<0.01), CD86(67.2±8.8 vs 80.2±11.6, P＜0.01), HLA-DR(80.6±9.8 vs 86.6±10.8, P<0.01) 和CD1a(40.2±10.3 vs 60.2±9.3, P<0.01)的表达，明显促进DC细胞因子IL-12［(44.3±8.9)ng/L vs (65.1±10.4)ng/L, P<0.05］的分泌，但却降低IL-2［(43.6±7.8）ng/L vs （10.0±4.5）ng/L, P<0.01］。 结论： DC可通过摄取ox-LDL形成泡沫细胞，而后者与成熟DC的功能相似，说明DC可能是泡沫细胞新的来源，在动脉粥样硬化免疫病理发生中具有重要的作用。     

MTEC 1分泌的趋化因子引起特定亚群胸腺细胞的定向迁移

分析胸腺髓质上皮样细胞系ＭＴＥＣ１分泌的化学趋化因子对胸腺细胞亚群的趋化作用。方法以抗体加补体杀伤结合免疫磁珠及ｐａｎｎｉｎｇ法，将小鼠胸腺细胞分离纯化，获得ＣＤ４＋ＣＤ８＋（ＤＰ），ＣＤ４－ＣＤ８－（ＤＮ），ＣＤ４＋ＣＤ８－（ＣＤ４ＳＰ）及ＣＤ４－ＣＤ８＋（ＣＤ８ＳＰ）四亚群细胞，用Ｂｏｙｄｅｎ小室分析ＭＴＥＣ１┐ＳＮ对四群胸腺细胞的趋化作用。结果ＭＴＥＣ１┐ＳＮ对ＤＰ及ＣＤ４ＳＰ胸腺细胞有趋化活性（ＣＩ＝６．６±１．０及６．１±１．８）；对ＣＤ８ＳＰ细胞有中度趋化活性（ＣＩ＝３．２±１．０）；对ＤＮ趋化活性微弱（ＣＩ＝１．３±０．６）。化学趋化因子ＭＣＰ┐１纯品对ＣＤ４ＳＰ胸腺细胞显示强趋化活性（ＣＩ＝５．６），对ＤＮ胸腺细胞则无可测出趋化活性。结论ＭＴＥＣ１分泌的化学趋化因子对ＤＰ，ＣＤ４ＳＰ及ＣＤ８ＳＰ胸腺细胞有显著趋化作用，对ＤＮ胸腺细胞几乎无趋化作用。提示此类化学趋化因子有趋使胸腺发育中后期阶段的细胞向胸腺髓质区迁移和定位的作用。     

Testosterone inhibits immunoglobulin production by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells

We studied the in vitro effect of testosterone on spontaneous immunoglobulin production by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Testosterone inhibited IgG and IgM production by PBMC both from males and females. The inhibitory effect of testosterone was revealed at doses more than 1 nm, increased dose-dependently, and reached a plateau at 100 nm. At doses <1000 nm, testosterone did not reduce cell viability. Testosterone treatment reduced IgG production by 59.0% and that of IgM by 61.3% compared with control. Immunoglobulin production by B cells was also suppressed by testosterone, though the magnitude of the suppressive effect on B cells was lower than that on whole PBMC; testosterone-induced decrease of IgG production compared with control was 26.9% and that of IgM was 24.9%. Exogenous IL-6 partially restored the impaired immunoglobulin production of testosterone-treated PBMC; IgG production in testosterone culture was increased by IL-6 from 35.6% to 66.5% of control and that of IgM was also increased from 38.9% to 71.2%, respectively. Testosterone treatment reduced IL-6 production of monocytes by 78.4% compared with control, but neither affected that of T cells or B cells. These results suggest that testosterone may suppress immunoglobulin production of human PBMC directly by inhibiting B cell activity and indirectly by reducing IL-6 production of monocytes. It is thus indicated that this hormone may have protective and therapeutic effects on human autoimmune diseases.     

Targeting lymphocyte activation through the lymphotoxin and LIGHT pathways

Summary: Cytokines mediate key communication pathways essential for regulation of immune responses. Full activation of antigen-responding lymphocytes requires cooperating signals from the tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related cytokines and their specific receptors. LIGHT, a lymphotoxin-β (LTβ)-related TNF family member, modulates T-cell activation through two receptors, the herpesvirus entry mediator (HVEM) and indirectly through the LT-β receptor. An unexpected finding revealed a non-canonical binding site on HVEM for the immunoglobulin superfamily member, B and T lymphocyte attenuator (BTLA), and an inhibitory signaling protein suppressing T-cell activation. Thus, HVEM can act as a molecular switch between proinflammatory and inhibitory signaling. The non-canonical HVEM–BTLA pathway also acts to counter LTβR signaling that promotes the proliferation of antigen-presenting dendritic cells (DCs) within lymphoid tissue microenvironments. These results indicate LTβ receptor and HVEM–BTLA pathways form an integrated signaling circuit. Targeting these cytokine pathways with specific antagonists (antibody or decoy receptor) can alter lymphocyte differentiation and activation. Alternately, agonists directed at their cell surface receptors can restore homeostasis and potentially reset immune and inflammatory processes, which may be useful in treating autoimmune and infectious diseases and cancer.     

Sclerotomal origin of smooth muscle cells in the wall of the avian dorsal aorta.

The dorsal aorta is the earliest formed intraembryonic blood vessel. It is composed of an inner lining consisting of endothelial cells and an outer wall consisting of smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and fibrocytes. Aortic SMCs have been suggested to arise from several developmental lineages. Cephalic neural crest provides SMCs of the proximal part of the aorta, and SMCs of the distal part are derived from the paraxial mesoderm. Here, we show by using quail-chick chimerization that in the avian embryo, SMCs in the wall of the dorsal aorta at trunk level arise from the sclerotome. Our findings indicate a two-step process of aortic wall formation. First, non-paraxial mesoderm-derived mural cells accumulate at the floor of the aorta. We refer to these cells as primary SMCs. Second, SMCs from the sclerotome are recruited to the roof and sides of the aorta, eventually replacing the primary SMCs in the aortic floor.     

Gamma/delta T cells and the diagnosis of coeliac disease.

Gamma/delta T cells are increased in the gut epithelium of patients with coeliac disease compared with normal controls. The aim of this study was to determine whether the increase in gamma delta intraepithelial lymphocytes (IEL) is specific for coeliac disease, in which case it could be of diagnostic importance. Biopsies were obtained from children with no intestinal disease, coeliac disease, cow-milk-sensitive enteropathy/post-enteritis syndrome (CMSE PES) and miscellaneous other enteropathies (n = 67). Intraepithelial CD3+ and gamma delta T cells were identified in frozen sections using peroxidase immunohistochemistry. In normal biopsies there were 0-7 gamma delta IEL/100 cells in the epithelium. In untreated coeliac patients this increased to 9-22 gamma delta IEL/100 cells in the epithelium (P = 0.000004). Of 27 patients with morphologic intestinal damage which was not due to coeliac disease, four with CMSE/PES had gamma delta IEL/100 cells in the epithelium in the same range as the patients with coeliac disease. Of these, two had high densities of CD3+ IEL in the epithelium and were indistinguishable from patients with untreated coeliac disease. The other two could be excluded as possible coeliacs because their CD3+ IEL/100 epithelial cells were in the normal range. Thus an increase in gamma delta IEL is not specific for coeliac disease. However, enumeration of both of gamma delta IEL and CD3+ IEL densities will be useful in the exclusion of coeliac disease as a diagnosis in some children.     

Monocytes secrete factors regulating glycosaminoglycan synthesis in mesangial cells in vitro.

The present study was conducted to determine the manner in which monocytes increase mesangial matrices, particularly glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) which interact with various other matrix components such as collagens, laminin, fibronectin and lipoproteins. A supernatant of human peripheral blood monocyte cultures activated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) contains stimulating factors for glycosaminoglycan synthesis in rat mesangial cells (MCs). The culture supernatant in this study was concentrated and fractionated by gel chromatography and the GAG-stimulatory factor was found to have a molecular weight of 10-17 kD. This factor was shown to be present in fractions different from that of IL-1. Gel and ion-exchange chromatography studies of GAGs synthesized by MCs indicated the elution patterns of GAGs in the presence and absence of the monocyte culture supernatant to be essentially the same. Local infiltration of monocytes into the glomerulus, often seen in various types of glomerular injury, may be an important factor in the accumulation of the mesangial matrix.     

Cytotoxic effects of ingested Staphylococcus aureus on bovine endothelial cells: Role of S. aureus α-hemolysin

Previously we observed that Staphylococcus aureus phagocytized by cultured bovine endothelial cells do not proliferate intracellularly, but are cytotoxic to bovine endothelial cells. To investigate S. aureus virulence factors which may be produced intracellularly and cause lysis of endothelial cells, we tested S. aureus mutants defective in production of one or more potential virulence factors and corresponding parent strains for cytotoxicity to endothelial cell monolayers subsequent to being ingested. Following incubation of endothelial cell monolayers with S. aureus for 3.5 h, cultures were supplemented with lysostaphin to destroy extracellular but not intracellular S. aureus. At subsequent times, viability of endothelial cells was assayed by retention of ³H-adenine and the number of intracellular S. aureus was measured. The cytotoxic activity of S. aureus culture supernatants was also characterized. The results indicate that S. aureus α-hemolysin is cytotoxic to bovine endothelial cells and plays an important role in the damage suffered by bovine endothelial cell monolayers following ingestion of S. aureus. Ingestion of α-hemolysin-producing S. aureus by endothelial cells in vivo might be expected to result in destruction of endothelium followed by development of platelet-fibrin vegetations. This possible sequence of events is compatible with the frequently fulminant course of S. aureus endocarditis.