IL-12 inhibits in vitro immunoglobulin production by human lupus peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC)

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a prototypical autoimmune disease characterized by polyclonal B cell activation and by the production of anti-double-stranded (ds) DNA antibodies. Given the inhibitory effects of IL-12 on humoral immune responses, we investigated whether IL-12 displayed such an activity on in vitro immunoglobulin production by SLE PBMC. Spontaneous IgG, IgG1, IgG2, IgG3 and IgM antibody production was dramatically reduced by addition of IL-12. These results were confirmed by Elispot assays detecting IgG- and anti-dsDNA-secreting cells. While IL-6 and TNF titres measured in PBMC supernatants were not modified by addition of IL-12, interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) titres were up-regulated and IL-10 production down-regulated. Since addition of IFN-γ did not down-regulate immunoglobulin production and since the inhibitory activity of IL-12 on immunoglobulin synthesis was not suppressed by anti-IFN-γ antibody, we concluded that the effect of IL-12 on immunoglobulin production was not mediated through IFN-γ. Our data also argue against the possibility that down-regulation of endogenous IL-10 production was responsible for the effect of IL-12. Thus, inhibition of IL-10 production by IFN-γ was not accompanied by inhibition of immunoglobulin production, and conversely, restoration of IL-10 production by anti-IFN-γ antibody did not suppress the inhibitory activity exerted by IL-12 on immunoglobulin production. Taken together, our data indicate that reduction of excessive immunoglobulin and anti-dsDNA antibody production by lupus PBMC can be achieved in vitro by IL-12, independently of IFN-γ and IL-10 modulation.     

Alteration of cytokine production in follicular cystic ovaries induced in mice by neonatal estradiol injection

PROBLEM: Neonatal estradiol injections in mice lead to follicular cystic ovaries that are similar to ovaries in patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). The present study examined ovarian cytokine production following neonatal estradiol injection. METHOD OF STUDY: Female (C3H,HeJ x 129/HeJ)F1 mice were injected daily with 20 microg 17beta-estradiol from 0-3 days postpartum. At intervals, animals were sacrificed to determine ovarian architecture, circulating levels of estradiol, ovarian and peritoneal macrophage cytokine production, and ovarian P450 aromatase enzyme mRNA levels. RESULTS: Similar to PCOS, our results show that neonatally estradiol-injected mice have lower levels of circulating estrogen that are correlated with decreased mRNA levels of P450 aromatase enzyme. Our data also show that follicular cystic ovaries have increased tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and interleukin (IL)-6 production. This increase in TNF-alpha and IL-6 production is also observed in peritoneal macrophages of estradiol-injected mice. CONCLUSION: The present study showed that neonatal estrogen injection in mice has an overall systemic effect on cytokine production. We speculate that increased cytokine production may alter certain important steps in follicular maturation, ultimately contributing to ovarian dysfunction.     

IL-6阳性细胞在小鼠胸腺内的定位

目的：检测IL－6阳性细胞在小鼠胸腺的分布。方法：采用免疫酶细胞化学，免疫荧光双染及免疫电镜技术方法原位显示小鼠胸腺不同部位IL－6阳性神经的表达情况。结果：光镜免疫酶组织化学确定了IL－6阳性细胞的分布范围，即IL－6在胸腺皮质和髓质的某些特定的细胞表达；进一步采用免疫荧光双染色及免疫电镜技术对IL－6阳性细胞进行了解析，确定了小鼠胸腺内IL－6阳性细胞主要是胸腺实质中不同形态的巨噬细胞，IL－6不存在于胸腺上皮细胞及胸腺细胞。结论：巨噬细胞是小鼠胸腺IL－6的主要来源，参与胸腺细胞发育微环境的构成。     

妊娠17～37周胎儿可溶性白介素2受体和NK细胞含量的变化

目的：探讨妊娠17～37周正常和宫内感染时胎儿外周血可溶性白介素2受体（Soluble interleuldn-2 receptor，sIL-2R）和自然杀伤细胞（Natural killer，NK）含量的变化。方法：超声引导下行脐带穿刺术，收集129例胎儿外周血，包括97例正常对照组胎儿血，32例宫内感染组（单纯疱疹病毒感染、弓形虫感染、风疹病毒感染）胎儿血，采用双色免疫荧光标记流式细胞仪技术测定胎JLPF周血NK细胞百分率，双抗体夹心酶联免疫吸附试验测定胎JLPF周血中sIL-2R的含量，分析生理状态下胎儿外周血NK细胞、sIL-2R的状况和宫内感染时NK细胞和sIL-2R含量的变化。结果：妊娠17—37周胎儿外周血NK细胞、sIL-2R含量不随孕周改变，r（NK）=-0．03，P〉0．05；r（sIL-2R）=0．167，P〉0．05，宫内感染时NK细胞含量减少，sIL-2R含量增多，与正常对照组相比差异有显著意义；t（NK）=4．29，P〈0．01；t（sIL-2R）=-5．833，P〈0．01。结论：妊娠17—37周胎儿外周血有一定量的NK细胞和sIL-2R存在，但机体免疫功能仍不完善，宫内感染时机体容易出现免疫抑制状态。     

Cooperation between IL-7 and the pre-B cell receptor: a key to B cell selection

Hematopoiesis is regulated by a variety of signals that either originate within a developing cell or are supplied by the surrounding environment in secreted- or contact-dependent forms. This review discusses the effects of one secreted factor, interleukin-7, on the development of B lymphocytes. We describe a molecular mechanism for a crucial checkpoint during B lineage maturation, based on the integration of signals mediated by the pre-B cell receptor, the interleukin-7 receptor, and the environment in which these signals are received.     

Evaluation of low serum vitamin B(12) in the non-anaemic pregnant patient

Low serum vitamin B(12) concentrations in pregnancy may not indicate true megaloblastic anaemia. In the present study we compared biochemical indices of vitamin B(12) deficiency (serum homocysteine and urine methylmalonic acid) in non-anaemic pregnant women with and without low serum vitamin B(12) concentrations. The groups were matched for age, parity and gestational age. No differences were found, and all values were within normal range. These results suggest that the measurement of low serum B(12) concentrations in pregnant women should be followed by analysis at the biochemical level before vitamin B(12) injections are started.     

Genetic regulation of thymic involution

In this review, we have summarized our work using combined complex statistical genetics, bioinformatics, and functional genomics to determine the genetic basis of the age-related thymic involution in C57BL/6J X DBA/2J recombinant inbred mice and the parental B6 and D2 mice. We have shown that these mice provided a valuable genetic model that can permit resampling of thymuses from different aged but genetically identical animals and determination of the relative significance of age-associated changes in the thymus. Our results suggest that the quantitative trait loci (QTL) regulating the Con A-induced thymocyte proliferative response were mapped to mouse chromosome Chr 11 (D11Mit51 at 18 cM), a region that harbors the IL-12b gene. The importance of IL-12b in maintaining thymic integrity and function during the aging process was confirmed by a more rapid involution of the thymus in IL-12b knockout (IL-12b-/-) mice compared to wild-type (WT) mice. Functionally, IL-12 provided a strong synergistic effect to augment the IL-7 or IL-2 induced thymocyte proliferative response, especially in both aged WT and IL-12b-/- mice, but not in normal young mice. In contract to the proliferative response, the age-related decline in the total number of thymocytes was determined at different age, and mapped to loci on Chr 9, 62 cM and Chr 10, 32 cM. Using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation-time of flight-mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS), increased expression of peroxiredoxin was found to be correlated with thymic involution. Our results suggest the possibility to identify the complex molecular network that can be associated with the regulation of thymic involution in aged mice using a high-dimensional functional genomics approach.