The focal adhesion kinase inhibitor PF-562,271 impairs primary CD4+ T cell activation

The focal adhesion kinase inhibitor, PF-562,271, is currently in clinical development for cancer, however it is not known how PF-562,271 affects T cell function. Here, we demonstrate inhibitory effects of PF-562,271 on the activation of primary human and mouse T cells. PF-562,271 inhibits T cell receptor signaling-induced T cell adhesion to intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and T cell interactions with antigen-presenting cells. An additional focal adhesion kinase inhibitor, PF-573,228, and genetic depletion of focal adhesion kinase also impair T cell conjugation with antigen-presenting cells. PF-562,271 blocks phosphorylation of the signaling molecules zeta chain associate protein of 70 kDa, linker of activated T cells, and extracellular signal-regulated kinase, and impairs T cell proliferation. The effects observed on T cell proliferation cannot solely be attributed to focal adhesion kinase inhibition, as genetic depletion did not alter proliferation. The effect of PF-562,271 on T cell proliferation is not rescued when proximal T cell receptor signaling is bypassed by stimulation with phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate and ionomycin. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that focal adhesion kinase regulates integrin-mediated T cell adhesion following T cell receptor activation. Moreover, our findings suggest that PF-562,271 may have immunomodulatory effects that could impact its therapeutic applications.     

自身免疫多腺体综合征Ⅲ型CTLA-4外显子1多态性研究

目的了解毒淋巴T细胞相关抗原-4(CTLA-4)基因外显子1多态性与自身免疫性多腺体综合征Ⅲ型(APSⅢ)的关系。方法采用PCR-RFLP法检测52例正常对照者,39例经典1型糖尿病(T1DMA)患者和16例APSⅢ临床及亚临床患者CTLA-4基因外显子1的多态性。结果正常对照组CTLA-4外显子A等位基因出现频率0.212,低于G等位基因出现频率0.788。正常对照组不同基因型及等位基因均显示女性的GG基因型或G等位基因均较男性高,但差异均无统计学意义(χ2分别为2.856和0.003,P为0.24和0.352)。3组的A、G等位基因频率比较:χ2值和P值分别为1.476和0.478。结论G是本组人群中的主体基因。A基因频率在正常对照组、T1DMA组和APSⅢ组之间呈依次上升的趋势,推测A基因与疾病易感可能有相关性。同时表明CTLA-4仅仅是自身免疫疾病发生的次要因素。     

Reaction of Macrophages to Cigarette Smoke. II. Immigration of Macrophages to the Lungs

The present study identifies the source of the elevated pulmonary macrophage population in young adult male mice which results when animals are exposed to cigarette smoke. Light microscopic and autoradiographic analysis of pulmonary tissue from smoke-exposed animals revealed that pulmonary macrophages (free, attached, and septal or interstitial) divide only rarely. Further, it was noted that, during the marked progressive increase in the labeled macrophage population in the lungs, the number of silver grains over the nuclei of labeled macrophages did not become significantly diluted. Thus, the markedly elevated macrophage population which results when animals are exposed to cigarette smoke appears, for the most part, to be due to immigration of cells from bone marrow rather than in situ division of resident macrophages.     

In Silico analysis of perturbed steroidogenesis and gonad growth in fathead minnows (P. promelas) exposed to 17α-ethynylestradiol

Abstract

The multi-factorial nature of adverse reproductive effects mediated by endocrine disrupting compounds (or EDCs) makes understanding the mechanistic basis of reproductive dysfunction a highly pertinent area of research. As a consequence, a main motivator for continued research is to integrate ‘multi-leveled’ complexity (i.e., from genes to phenotype) using mathematical methods capable of encapsulating properties of physiological relevance. In this study, an in silico stoichiometric model of piscine steroidogenesis was augmented with a ‘biomass’ reaction associating the underlying stoichiometry of steroidogenesis with a reaction representative of gonad growth. The ability of the in silico model to predict perturbed steroidogenesis and subsequent effects on gonad growth was tested by exposing reproductively active male and female fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) to 88?ng/L of the synthetic estrogen, 17α-ethynylestradiol (EE2). The in silico model was parameterized (or constrained) with experimentally quantified concentrations of selected steroid hormones (using mass spectrometry) and fold changes in gene expression (using RT-qPCR) for selected steroidogenic enzyme genes, in gonads of male and female fish. Once constrained, the optimization framework of flux balance analysis (FBA) was used to calculate an optimal flux through the biomass reaction (analogous to gonad growth) and associated steroidogenic flux distributions required to generate biomass. FBA successfully predicted effects of EE2 exposure on fathead minnow gonad growth (%gonadosomatic index or %GSI) and perturbed production of steroid hormones. Specifically, FBA accurately predicted no effects of exposure on male %GSI and a significant reduction for female %GSI. Furthermore, in silico simulations accurately identified disrupted reaction fluxes catalyzing productions of androgens (in male fish) and progestogens (in female fish), an observation which agreed with in vivo experimentation. The analyses presented is the first-ever to successfully associate underlying flux properties of the steroidogenic network with gonad growth in fish, an approach which can incorporate in silico predictions with toxicological risk assessments.     

Dual effects of molybdenum on mouse oocyte quality and ovarian oxidative stress

A sub-acute toxicity test was performed to investigate the effects of molybdenum (Mo) on ovarian function. ICR adult female mice were exposed to Mo by free access to distilled water containing the Mo at 5, 10, 20, and 40?mg/L for 14 days. Compared to the control group, M?II oocyte morphology, ovary index, and ovulation improved within the 5?mg/L Mo group, but were negatively affected by Mo at 40?mg/L. Morphologically abnormal ovarian mitochondria were observed at?≥?20?mg/L. These alterations accompanied the changes in superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidise (GPx), and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in ovaries. In conclusion, Mo affects oocyte quality possibly through regulating ovarian oxidative stress in a dose-dependent manner. It appears that Mo may improve ovarian function at a suitable concentration, which might be a candidate for the treatment of female infertility.     

The cathepsin B inhibitor,z-FA-CMK is toxic and readily induced cell death in human T lymphocytes

The cathepsin B inhibitor, benzyloxycarbonyl-phenylalanine-alanine-chloromethylketone (z-FA-CMK) was found to be toxic and readily induced cell death in the human T cell line, Jurkat, whereas two other analogs benzyloxycarbonyl-phenylalanine-alanine-fluoromethylketone (z-FA-FMK) and benzyloxycarbonyl-phenylalanine-alanine-diazomethylketone (z-FA-DMK) were not toxic. The toxicity of z-FA-CMK requires not only the CMK group, but also the presence of alanine in the P1 position and the benzyloxycarbonyl group at the N-terminal. Dose–response studies showed that lower concentrations of z-FA-CMK induced apoptosis in Jurkat T cells whereas higher concentrations induced necrosis. In z-FA-CMK-induced apoptosis, both initiator caspases (-8 and -9) and effector caspases (-3, -6 and -7) were processed to their respective subunits in Jurkat T cells. However, only the pro-form of the initiator caspases were reduced in z-FA-CMK-induced necrosis and no respective subunits were apparent. The caspase inihibitor benzyloxycarbonyl-valine-alanine-aspartic acid-(O-methyl)-fluoromehylketone (z-VAD-FMK) inhibits apoptosis and caspase processing in Jurkat T cells treated with low concentration of z-FA-CMK but has no effect on z-FA-CMK-induced necrosis and the loss of initiator caspases. This suggests that the loss of initiator caspases in Jurkat T cells during z-FA-CMK-induced necrosis is not a caspase-dependent process. Taken together, we have demonstrated that z-FA-CMK is toxic to Jurkat T cells and induces apoptosis at low concentrations, while at higher concentrations the cells die of necrosis.     

Cytotoxicity on human cells of Cry1Ab and Cry1Ac Bt insecticidal toxins alone or with a glyphosate‐based herbicide

The study of combined effects of pesticides represents a challenge for toxicology. In the case of the new growing generation of genetically modified (GM) plants with stacked traits, glyphosate‐based herbicides (like Roundup) residues are present in the Roundup‐tolerant edible plants (especially corns) and mixed with modified Bt insecticidal toxins that are produced by the GM plants themselves. The potential side effects of these combined pesticides on human cells are investigated in this work. Here we have tested for the very first time Cry1Ab and Cry1Ac Bt toxins (10 ppb to 100 ppm) on the human embryonic kidney cell line 293, as well as their combined actions with Roundup, within 24 h, on three biomarkers of cell death: measurements of mitochondrial succinate dehydrogenase, adenylate kinase release by membrane alterations and caspase 3/7 inductions. Cry1Ab caused cell death from 100 ppm. For Cry1Ac, under such conditions, no effects were detected. The Roundup tested alone from 1 to 20 000 ppm is necrotic and apoptotic from 50 ppm, far below agricultural dilutions (50% lethal concentration 57.5 ppm). The only measured significant combined effect was that Cry1Ab and Cry1Ac reduced caspases 3/7 activations induced by Roundup; this could delay the activation of apoptosis. There was the same tendency for the other markers. In these results, we argue that modified Bt toxins are not inert on nontarget human cells, and that they can present combined side‐effects with other residues of pesticides specific to GM plants. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

In vitro transdermal and biological evaluation of ALA-loaded poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylic acid) microgels for photodynamic therapy

Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPA) and Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylic acid) (P(NIPA-co-AA)) microgels loaded with 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) were prepared by the spray-drying method. The amount of drug loaded was 290?µg ALA/mg microgel for PNIPA and 244?µg ALA/mg microgel for P(NIPA-co-AA) microgels. Maximum in vitro drug release took place within 15–30?min for PNIPA and 1–1.5?h for P(NIPA-co-AA) microgels as a function of pH, at 37°C. Transdermal delivery from microgels showed permeation fluxes 10 times higher than the passive diffusion flux. The cytotoxicity of microgels synthesized in HeLa cells after the application of photodynamic therapy (PDT) was superior compared with the administration of ALA in solution alone. Finally, the use of these microgels as a delivery vehicle for ALA constitutes a system capable of enhancing its topical administration and PDT effectiveness.