Mannose binding lectin and C3 act as recognition molecules for infectious agents in the vagina

In our study we examined the early complement components in patients with bacterial vaginosis (BV), vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) and in healthy controls. The levels of C1q, mannose-binding lectin (MBL) and C3 were measured by ELISA in the cervicovaginal lavage (CVL) from gynaecological patients and controls. No significant differences were observed in the levels of these proteins in the three study groups. Immunofluorescence analysis of the clue cells and Candida hyphae from BV and VVC patients for surface-bound complement components showed the presence of C3, while C1q was undetectable. MBL was revealed on clue cells but not on Candida. Binding of MBL to Candida, grown or cytocentrifuged from the CVL of VVC patients, was found to be pH dependent and occurred between pH 4.5 and pH 5.5. In conclusion, we demonstrated that MBL and C3 present in the vaginal cavity act as recognition molecules for infectious agents that colonize the cervicovaginal mucosa. Our finding that MBL, but not C1q, binds to bacteria and fungi in vagina suggests that the lectin and classical pathways of complement activation may play a different role in immune defence in the female genital tract.     

不同大鼠胶质瘤抗原致敏的DC体外诱导CTL活性的研究

目的: 比较大鼠骨髓来源的树突状细胞(dendritic cells, DC)体外经由大鼠C6胶质瘤细胞由不同方式制备的不同抗原致敏后,对特异性细胞毒性T淋巴细胞(cytotoxic T lymphocyte, CTL)的诱导作用。方法: 自大鼠骨髓分离DC前体细胞,经重组大鼠粒细胞巨噬细胞集落刺激因子(rrGM-CSF)+白细胞介素4(rrIL-4)诱导培养、扩增;由C6胶质瘤细胞经由反复冻融、煮沸灭活及超声破碎细胞抽提其总蛋白的方法制备各种不同抗原致敏DC,致敏的DC与T淋巴细胞进行共培养诱导CTL;以ELISA法检测CTL诱导过程中淋巴细胞趋化因子(lymphocyte chemoattractant factor)及细胞因子IFN-γ分泌水平:以 -TdR掺入法检测DC诱导T细胞增殖及其特异性CTL杀伤活性。 结果: 体外应用煮沸灭活瘤细胞制备的肿瘤抗原致敏DC,能诱导更强的刺激T细胞增殖的能力、并且可以诱导杀伤活性更强的CTL。结论: 应用煮沸灭活的瘤细胞制备瘤抗原负载DC获得瘤苗可获得更强的抗肿瘤保护作用。     

Roles of lymphoid cells in the differentiation of Langerhans dendritic cells in mice

Langerhans dendritic cells are antigen presenting cells (APC) that reside within the epidermis and are capable of stimulating naive T cells. Reciprocally, lymphocytes may play a role in Langerhans cells (LC) differentiation. Our results show that the differentiation of skin LC is unaffected in the absence of lymphocytes and/or signaling through the common cytokine receptor gamma chain (gammac) required for IL-2, IL-4, IL-7, IL-9, IL-15 and IL-21 signaling. Migration of LC and other dendritic cells (DC) from the skin to the draining lymph nodes (LNs) after FITC skin sensitization, is unaffected in the absence of lymphocytes or CD40. FITC+ LC/DC sorted from the LNs of lymphoid deficient or control mice stimulated naive T cells with similar efficiency. However, while the absence of lymphocytes did not appear to affect the phenotype or number of emigrating LN DC/LC, their persistence in the LN appears to depend on alphabeta T cells. Thus, DC are strikingly reduced in numbers in the peripheral LNs of T-cell deficient mice. Finally, CD8alpha expression on skin emigrants was low and dependent on the presence of CD8+ lymphocytes, while spleen CD8+ DC were present in the absence of lymphocytes. We conclude that the presence of T cells is not required for the differentiation and migration of resident skin DC but is critical for the maintenance of DC and LC migrating into the LNs.     

Mosquito densonucleosis viruses cause dramatically different infection phenotypes in the C6/36 Aedes albopictus cell line

Mosquito densoviruses generally establish persistent infections in mosquito cell lines including the C6/36 Aedes albopictus cell line. In contrast, the closely related Haemagogus equinus densovirus (HeDNV) causes dramatic cytopathic effects in the C6/36 Aedes albopictus cell line. Infection of C6/36 cells by HeDNV causes internucleosomal fragmentation of host chromosomal DNA, changes in cellular morphology (membrane budding, apoptotic bodies), caspase activation and exposure of phosphatidylserine on the cellular membrane. This is accompanied by a higher rate of infection and more vigorous production of virus in these cells. These observations are consistent with the induction of apoptosis during infection. In contrast, expression of AeDNV proteins in C6/36 cells does not cause obvious cytopathic effects although NS1 expression causes accumulation of cells in G2 phase. C6/36 cells persistently infected with AeDNV were not protected from superinfection with HeDNV. Thus, there does not seem to be an antiviral state induced by AeDNV persistent infection.     

Ligand and cytokine dependence of the immunosuppressive pathway of tryptophan catabolism in plasmacytoid dendritic cells

Murine plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) have been credited with a unique ability to express indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) function and mediate immunosuppression in specific settings; yet, the conditions of spontaneous versus induced activity have remained unclear. We have used maneuvers known to up-regulate IDO in different cell types and have examined the relative efficacy and mechanisms of the induced activity in splenic pDCs, namely, after specific receptor engagement by CTLA-4-Ig, CD200-Ig or CD28-Ig, the latter in combination with silenced expression of the suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3) gene. We found that pDCs (CD11c+ mPDCA-1+ 120G8+) do not express IDO and are not tolerogenic under basal conditions. B7-1 engagement by CTLA-4-Ig, CD200R1 engagement by CD200-Ig and B7-1/B7-2 engagement by CD28-Ig in SOCS3-deficient pDCs were each capable of initiating IDO-dependent tolerance via different mechanisms. IFN-gamma was the major cytokine responsible for CTLA-4-Ig effects, and type I IFNs for those of CD200-Ig. Immunosuppression by CD28-Ig in the absence of SOCS3 required IFN-gamma induction and IFN-like actions of IL-6. Therefore, although pDCs do not mediate IDO-dependent tolerance constitutively, multiple ligands and cytokines will contribute to the expression of a tolerogenic phenotype by pDCs in the mouse.     

IL-1α及与IL-11、LIF和GDNF联合诱导胚鼠皮质、中脑神经干细胞向多巴胺神经元分化的比较

为比较皮质和中脑来源的神经干细胞(NSCs)定向分化为多巴胺神经元的情况,应用无血清和单克隆培养技术,分别从皮质和中脑组织中分离克隆、扩增NSCs,然后分成3组诱导分化:①对照组用10%胎牛血清诱导分化;②IL-1α组在10%胎牛血清的基础上加IL-1α诱导分化;③联合因子组在10%胎牛血清的基础上加IL-1α、IL-11、LIF及GDNF进行诱导分化。用酪氨酸羟化酶(TH)免疫组化染色检测多巴胺神经元。在100倍镜下随机取5个视野,计数每个视野中的TH阳性神经元数;并用图像分析软件处理TH阳性神经元的胞体面积和细胞周长;用STATA7.0统计软件进行统计处理。结果显示,皮质对照组中仅见极少的TH阳性神经元(0.25±0.163),中脑对照组中见少量TH阳性神经元(2±0.378);而皮质IL-1α组有较多的TH阳性神经元(15.5±0.866),中脑IL-1α组中的TH阳性神经元则为皮质IL-1α组的150%(22.875±1.517);皮质联合因子组中的TH阳性神经元数(25.75±0.940)与中脑联合因子组中的TH阳性神经元数(28.875±2.125)接近,无显著差异。胞体面积和细胞周长的结果显示出IL-1α组和联合因子组大于对照组、而联合因子组又优于IL-1α组的趋势。上述结果提示,中脑来源的NSCs本身具有一定的分化为多巴胺神经元的区域特异性,而皮质来源的NSCs在IL-1α、IL-11、LIF及GDNF等细胞因子的诱导下可改变其区域特异性而分化为较多较为成熟的多巴胺神经元。     

成人与新生儿心脏连接蛋白43表达差异

目的　探讨成人与新生儿心脏连接蛋白 4 3(Cx4 3)表达差异。　方法　应用SP免疫组织化学和图像分析方法 ,观测成人与新生儿心脏Cx4 3的蛋白表达。　结果　 1 新生儿心脏Cx4 3在心房和心室均呈斑点状遍布于心肌细胞侧面连接处和细胞质内 ,闰盘处极少。 2 成人Cx4 3表达在心房肌非均质分布于细胞侧面连接处和端闰盘处 ;心室肌典型地排列在闰盘处。 3 图像分析表明 ,心肌细胞Cx4 3分布密度 ,新生儿心房 <心室 ,成人心房 >心室。成人心房、心室均低于新生儿。　结论　新生儿Cx4 3主要分布于心肌细胞侧连接处 ,成人心房和心室存在差异。Cx4 3分布密度新生儿心房 <心室 ,成人心房 >心室 ;成人心脏低于新生儿。提示 ,Cx4 3有增龄变化。     

Differentiation markers of Sertoli cells and germ cells in fetal and early postnatal human testis

The definition of the temporal sequence of appearance of fetal markers during prenatal and early postnatal development in Sertoli and germ cells may be important for understanding the mechanisms underlying their reexpression in disorders of the adult testis. For this reason, we studied the expression of Sertoli and germ cell markers in 25 human testes spanning a period from 8 gestational weeks to 4 years. Well-characterized antibodies were employed to anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), cytokeratin 18 (CK18), vimentin (VIM), M2A-antigen (M2A), germ cell alkaline phosphatase (GCAP), and somatic angiotensin-converting enzyme (sACE) on formalin-fixed and microwave-pretreated paraffin sections. In Sertoli cells, AMH and VIM were consistently present. While VIM and CK18 were coexpressed in embryonic testes, CK18 was progressively downregulated and completely absent from the 20th gestational week. M2A was absent or moderately expressed in fetal Sertoli cells but increased during further development. In germ cells, M2A was consistently found in primordial germ cells (PGCs) as well as in M- and T₁-prespermatogonia. In contrast, sACE and GCAP were absent from PGCs but were a distinct feature of late M- and early T₁-prespermatogonia and appeared predominantly between the 18th and the 22nd gestational weeks. Both T₂-prespermatogonia and postnatal prespermatogonia were devoid of any marker. While CK18 represents a differentiation marker for fetal Sertoli cells, M2A, GCAP, and sACE can be used as differentiation markers for the discrimination of different germ cell types during human prespermatogenesis. Because various immunophenotypes reflect distinct differentiation stages, this knowledge may be important for understanding adult testicular pathology.     

CD1d deficiency exacerbates inflammatory dermatitis in MRL-lpr/lpr mice

Mechanisms responsible for the development of autoimmune skin disease in humans and animal models with lupus remain poorly understood. In this study, we have investigated the role of CD1d, an antigen-presenting molecule known to activate natural killer T cells, in the development of inflammatory dermatitis in lupus-susceptible MRL-lpr/lpr mice. In particular, we have established MRL-lpr/lpr mice carrying a germ-line deletion of the CD1d genes. We demonstrate that CD1d-deficient MRL-lpr/lpr mice, as compared with wild-type littermates, have more frequent and more severe skin disease, with increased local infiltration with mast cells, lymphocytes and dendritic cells, including Langerhans cells. CD1d-deficient MRL-lpr/lpr mice had increased prevalence of CD4(+) T cells in the spleen and liver and of TCR alpha beta (+)B220(+) cells in lymph nodes. Furthermore, CD1d deficiency was associated with decreased T cell production of type 2 cytokines and increased or unchanged type 1 cytokines. These findings indicate a regulatory role of CD1d in inflammatory dermatitis. Understanding the mechanisms by which CD1d deficiency results in splenic T cell expansion and cytokine alterations, with increased dermal infiltration of dendritic cells and lymphocytes in MRL-lpr/lpr mice, will have implications for the pathogenesis of inflammatory skin diseases.