Subtle translocation (18;21) confirmed by FISH in a patient with Down syndrome

The patient presented with the typical features of Down syndrome: hypotonia, brachycephaly, flattened occiput, bilateral prominent medical epican-thic folds, flat nasal bridge, protruding tongue, low-set dysplastic ears, short broad hands, bilateral clinodactyly and simian crease. The karyotype of this child was originally reported as normal. High-resolution chromosomes revealed extra material on the long arm of chromosome 18. The mother's karyotype showed a reciprocal translocation between the long arm of 18 and the long arm of 21 at band q23 and q22.1, respectively. FISH performed separately with two different 21q cosmid probes gave two signals on the mother's metaphases and three signals on the prob-and. These findings confirmed that the proband is trisomic for the long arm of chromosome 21 at loci D21S65 and D21S19.     

Retinoids induce Fas(CD95) ligand cell surface expression via RARgamma and nur77 in T cells

Cells from the CD4+ murine T hybridoma line IP-12-7 enter the apoptotic suicide program via the Fas ligand (FasL)/Fas-mediated pathway upon TCR stimulation. This stimulus regulates the sensitization of the Fas death pathway and the cell surface appearance of preformed FasL. The apoptosis is dependent on new mRNA and protein synthesis and involves up-regulation of nur77.Two groups of nuclear receptors for retinoic acids (RA) have been identified: retinoic acid receptors (RAR) and retinoid X receptors. IP-12-7 cells express RARalpha and RARgamma. Here we show that,in the IP-12-7 T cells, RA also induced the expression and DNA binding of nur77, and the cell surface appearance of FasL. The induction was mediated via RARgamma. Despite the induced expression of cell surface FasL, only two structurally related RARgamma-selective compounds, CD437 and CD2325, initiated apoptosis in these cells. The lack of apoptosis induction by natural RA was related to the inability of RARgamma to sensitize the Fas death-pathway. Cell surface FasL, however, was able to induce cell death in Fas-bearing target cells. Natural RA also induced the expression of FasL in phytohemagglutinin-activated peripheral murine T cells. It is proposed that therapeutically administered RA might induce apoptosis in Fas-sensitive cells via induction of FasL expression in activated Tcells.     

Duplication 18q syndrome

Some variation in the phenotype of patients with dup(18q) is recognized. Our patient has the phenotype described for dup(18qter).     

IL-18基因修饰增强肿瘤抗原多肽致敏的树突状细胞体内诱导的抗肿瘤免疫反应

目的 :研究肿瘤抗原多肽致敏的白细胞介素 18(IL 18)基因修饰的树突状细胞体内诱导的抗肿瘤免疫反应。方法 :①以Lewis 3LL肺癌细胞特异性抗原肽mut1冲击致敏IL 18基因修饰的骨髓来源的树突状细胞 (DC IL 18 mut1) ,每次用其 1× 10 5 只皮下免疫小鼠 2次 ,然后测定脾细胞的NK活性及CTL杀伤活性 ;②以DC IL 18 mut1每次 2× 10 5 只皮下免疫 1次 ,然后再以 5× 10 53LL细胞攻击 ,在诱导及效应阶段分别以单抗阻断不同免疫成份 ,观察肿瘤的生长。结果 :以DC IL 18 mut1皮下免疫后可诱导出比DC mut1等免疫组更高水平的 3LL肺癌细胞特异性CTL ,并使NK活性明显增加 ;单抗体内阻断实验提示在DC IL 18 mut1免疫诱导阶段 ,CD4 + T细胞和抗原共刺激分子、IFN γ均起到重要作用 ,而效应阶段CD8+ T、IFN γ、NK起作用 ,而CD4 + T则是非必需的。结论 :DC IL 18 mut1皮下免疫后可诱导高水平的抗肿瘤免疫活性 ,其机理与抗原有效提呈、特异性CTL诱导、NK活性增加以及CD4 + 、CD8+ T、NK细胞、IFN γ参与密切相关。     

CD40L表达在异基因造血干细胞移植中GVHD发生的意义

目的：初步探讨在异基因造血干细胞移植（HSCT）中发生移植物抗宿主病（GVHD）患者DC40L表达的变化以及意义。方法：HSCT治疗重型β-地中海贫血（n=12）和遗传性溶血性贫血（n=1）成功植入的儿童患者，其中脐血移植（UCBT）8例，异基因外周血造血干细胞移植(allo-PBSCT)5例，在移植前、移植后发生GVHD时采用流式细胞仪检测和比较外周血中CD40L和CD40的表达。结果：3例UCBT无GVHD，其余均发生了Ⅰ-Ⅳ度急性GVHD。急性GVHD发生时CD4^ CD40L^ 和CD8^ CD40LT细胞表达明显升高，allo-PBSCT者更明显；慢性GVHD发生时患者的CD40L^ 、CD25^ 和CD69^ 在CD4^ 和CD8^ T细胞上的表达亦增加。CD19^ CD40^ B细胞的表达在UCBT和allo-PBSCT的3个月内则一直处于低于正常的水平。结论：CD40L高表达与GVHD的发生相关，提示CD40-CD40L共刺激途径在GVHD的发生中可能起着重要作用。     

人乳头瘤病毒18型L1-E6、L1-E7嵌合基因表达载体的构建及表达

目的 构建HPV 18 L1－E6，L1－E7嵌合基因的表达载体，并在CHO细胞中表达。方法 克隆HPV18 L1－E6和L1－E7基因，插入中介载体pGEMT-Easy中并测序鉴定。采用PCR定点突变法，突变L1－E6，L1－E7基因序列中与转化作用相关的位点，分别与L1基因连接后插入真核表达载体pVAX1，构建真核表达质粒pVAX-1L1 E6Mxx,L1E7Mxx。用磷酸钙沉淀法，转染CHO细胞，以抗HPV－18L1，抗E6和抗E7特异性单克隆抗体（mAb)做ELISA和免疫细胞化学法检测。结果 ELISA检测显示，转染各种pVAX1-LIE6Mxx-L1E7Mxx融合蛋白表达质粒的细胞提取物的P－N值均＞2．1；免疫细胞化学检测，在胞浆，胞核可见棕黄色颗粒。结论 我建的pVAX1-L1E6Mxx-E7Mxx融合蛋白质表达质粒，可在转当细胞内表达相应的L1－E6Mxx和L1－E7Mxx蛋白，为今后进行DNA疫苗的研究奠定了基础。     

P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1 mediates rolling of mouse bone marrow-derived mast cells on P-selectin but not efficiently on E-selectin

It has been shown recently that mast cells play an essential role as a source of tumor necrosis factor-α production during neutrophil recruitment to sites of bacterial infection. Increased numbers of mast cells are indeed noted at sites of wound healing and inflammation. These cells are either recruited from the bone marrow or proliferate locally under cytokine stimulation. Little is known about how mast cell progenitors extravasate into tissue. Using antibody-like fusion proteins of mouse E-selectin and P-selectin, we have analyzed the ability of immature mouse bone marrow-derived mast cells (BMMC) to interact with the endothelial selectins. The P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1 (PSGL-1) was affinity-isolated from detergent extracts of surface biotinylated BMMC with both selectin-IgG fusion proteins. However, only P-selectin-IgG, but not E-selectin-IgG showed significant interaction with intact BMMC as tested by flow cytometry and cell attachment assays with the immobilized fusion proteins under flow and non-flow conditions at physiological shear stress. Thus, in spite of carrying the necessary carbohydrate modifications which enable solubilized PSGL-1 to bind avidly to E-selectin, PSGL-1 on the surface of BMMC is presented in a way that prevents it from interacting efficiently with E-selectin. Affinity-purified rabbit antibodies against mouse PSGL-1 almost completely blocked the interaction of BMMC with P-selectin-IgG in flow cytometry as well as in cell adhesion assays under static and under flow conditions. Our data reveal that PSGL-1 is the major binding site for P-selectin on mouse BMMC progenitors, but does not support efficient interactions with E-selectin.     

Increased expression and release of functional tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) by T cells from lupus patients with active disease

Increased expression of TRAIL in membrane-bound and soluble form in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has been previously reported. In this study, we characterized the upregulation of T-cell-associated and soluble TRAIL (sTRAIL) in vivo and the modulation of TRAIL expression and soluble protein release in vitro following T cell activation and IFNalpha exposure. The expression of membrane-bound TRAIL as determined by flow cytometry was higher on CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells from lupus patients compared to controls, particularly on activated CD69(+)CD8(+) T cells. Similarly, sTRAIL levels determined by ELISA were significantly elevated in serum from patients with active SLE and correlated with levels of IFNalpha. In vitro, both T-cell-associated and sTRAIL were maximally induced by T cell activation plus IFNalpha in patients and controls. By Western blot analysis, sTRAIL was detected in sera in both the monomeric and multimeric, functional form. Both forms of TRAIL were functional in vitro as determined by Annexin V staining and (51)Cr release assay but the apoptotic activity of membrane TRAIL was 2.5-fold higher compared to that of sTRAIL. These results indicate that IFNalpha-induced enhancement of TRAIL expression and of TRAIL-mediated apoptosis may amplify the abnormal apoptotic process in SLE.     

Prostaglandin E1-initiated immune regulation during human mixed lymphocyte reaction

Prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) has therapeutic value for transplantations due to its microvascular activity. Interleukin (IL)-18, which is elevated in plasma during the acute rejection after organ transplantation, elicits the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1, B7.1, B7.2, CD40, and CD40 ligand (CD40L) on monocytes as well as the production of interferon (IFN)-gamma and IL-12 and proliferation of T-cells during the human mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) in an in vitro model of acute rejection. In contrast, PGE1 inhibits all the adhesion molecule expression, cytokine production and T-cell proliferation in the presence of IL-18. The effects of PGE1 depend on stimulation of the IP/EP2/EP4-receptor, and thus, PGE1 might have therapeutic potential for treating acute rejection due to its immune regulatory effect.