Immunological mechanisms elicited at the tumour site by lymphocyte activation gene-3 (LAG-3) versus IL-12: sharing a common Th1 anti-tumour immune pathway

The experimentally induced TS/A murine mammary carcinoma is poorly immunogenic and mainly infiltrated by antigen-presenting cells (APCs), namely macrophages and immature dendritic cells (DCs). Human (h) and mouse (m) lymphocyte activation gene-3 (LAG-3 or CD233) is a physiological MHC class II ligand and powerful APC activator. A gene transfer approach has revealed its anti-tumour activity in this model: hLAG-3 was more effective than mLAG-3. To obtain a clearer picture of the immunoregulatory mechanisms associated with the rejection dynamics of h- and m-LAG-3 transfectants, immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy analyses of TS/A-hLAG-3, TS/A-mLAG-3, and control TS/A-pc tumours were performed. The immune events elicited by mLAG-3 and m-interleukin (IL)-12 were also compared, since their rejection kinetics were quite similar, and LAG-3 enables IL-12 production by macrophages and DCs. Both the TS/A-h- and, to a lesser extent, the m-LAG-3 rejection areas were characterized by an impressive recruitment of APCs, granulocytes, NK cells, CD4+ T lymphocytes and CD8+ IFNgamma-expressing cells. In both cases, infiltration by APCs was accompanied by strong CD80 and CD86 expression and macrophage nitric oxide (NO) synthase up-regulation. Distinct expression of IL-12 and CXCL9 was also found, especially in the draining lymph nodes. T lymphocytes and CD86-expressing APCs were significantly prevalent in both the TS/A-h- and the m-LAG-3 compared with the TS/A-mIL-12 rejection area. Production of IFNgamma, TNFalpha and IL1beta, and chemokines, namely CXCL5, CXCL9, CXCL10, CXCL11, CCL5, and CCL2, by infiltrating leukocytes and signs of defective neovascularization were detected in tumours expressing h-LAG-3-, m-LAG-3-, and m-IL-12. However, IFNgamma, CCL2, and CCL5 production prevailed in the TS/A-hLAG-3 rejection area. Taken together, these results indicate that LAG-3 expression by engineered tumour cells efficiently promotes intra-tumoural recruitment, activation, and Th1 commitment of APCs, and leads to a wide intra-tumoural influx of non-specific and specific reactive cells, and the release of immunoregulatory and cytotoxic mediators. Many of LAG-3's anti-tumour activities are shared with IL-12.     

阻断泛素-蛋白酶体通路诱导PC12细胞死亡和泛素阳性包涵体生成

目的探讨泛素蛋白酶体通路的功能障碍对于多巴胺能细胞的活力以及胞质内包涵体生成的影响。方法应用蛋白酶体抑制剂lactacystin(5μmol/L、10μmol/L、15μmol/L和20μmol/L)处理PC12细胞24h,MTT方法检测细胞活力,WesternBlot方法测定细胞内泛素化蛋白质水平,免疫荧光细胞化学染色观察泛素免疫阳性包涵体的生成。结果经5μmol/L、10μmol/L、15μmol/L和20μmol/Llactacystin处理24h后,PC12细胞的活力显著降低(细胞存活率分别为81.5%±3.6%、75.4%±2.4%、70.2%±2.7%和60.4%±3.9%),呈现剂量依赖性。WesternBlot证实对照组细胞内未检测到相对高分子质量的泛素化蛋白质;随着lactacystin作用浓度的增加,细胞内相对高分子质量泛素化蛋白质的含量逐渐增高。免疫荧光染色显示对照组中仅有极少数细胞内含有泛素阳性包涵体;20μmol/Llactacystin处理组中含有泛素阳性包涵体的细胞数目显著增多(P<0.01)。结论泛素蛋白酶体通路的功能缺失能诱导多巴胺能细胞死亡,造成细胞内泛素化蛋白质积聚,促进胞质内泛素阳性包涵体的生成,可能在帕金森病黑质多巴胺能神经元变性死亡和Lewy小体形成中发挥重要作用。     

Inherited disorders of the IL-12-IFN-γ axis in patients with disseminated BCG infection

Disseminated BCG infection is a rare complication of vaccination that occurs in patients with impaired immunity. In recent years, a series of inherited disorders of the IL-12-IFN- axis have been described that predispose affected individuals to disseminated disease caused by BCG, environmental Mycobacteria, and non-typhoidal Salmonella. The routine immunological work-up of these patients is normal and the diagnosis requires specific investigation of the IL-12-IFN- circuit. We report here the first two such patients originating from and living in Iran. The first child is two years old and suffers from complete IFN- receptor 2 deficiency and disseminated BCG infection. He is currently in clinical remission thanks to prolonged multiple antibiotic therapy. The other, a 28-year-old adult, suffers from IL-12p40 deficiency and presented with disseminated BCG infection followed by recurrent episodes of systemic salmonellosis. He is now doing well. A third patient of Iranian descent, living in North America, was reported elsewhere to suffer from IL-12R1 deficiency. These three patients thus indicate that various inherited defects of the IL-12-IFN- circuit can be found in Iranian people. In conclusion we recommend to consider the disorders of the IL-12-IFN- circuit in all patients with severe BCG infection, disseminated environmental mycobacterial disease, or systemic non-typhoidal salmonellosis, regardless of their ethnic origin and country of residence.     

Cobalt chloride induces neurite outgrowth in rat pheochromocytoma PC-12 cells through regulation of endothelin-2/vasoactive intestinal contractor

We investigated whether endothelin-2/vasoactive intestinal contractor (ET-2/VIC) gene expression, upregulated by hypoxia in cancer cells, was associated with differentiation in neuronal cells. RT-PCR analysis, morphological observations, and immunostaining revealed that CoCl2, a hypoxic mimetic agent, at 200 microM increased expression of the ET-2/VIC gene, decreased expression of the ET-1 gene, and induced neurite outgrowth in PC-12 rat pheochromocytoma cells. These effects induced by 200 microM CoCl2 were completely inhibited by the antioxidant N-acetyl cysteine at 20 mM. In addition, CoCl2 increased the level of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) at an early stage. Furthermore, interleukin (IL)-6 gene expression was upregulated upon the differentiation induced by CoCl2. These results suggest that expression of ET-2/VIC and ET-1 mediated by ROS may be associated with neuronal differentiation through the regulation of IL-6. When the cells were treated with 500 microM CoCl2 for 24 hr, however, ET-2/VIC gene expression disappeared, IL-6 gene expression was downregulated, and necrosis was subsequently induced in the PC-12 cells.     

Differential effect of calmodulin antagonists on MG132-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and cell death in PC12 cells

Defects in proteasome function have been suggested to be involved in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. We examined the effect of calmodulin antagonists on proteasome inhibitor-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and cell viability loss in undifferentiated PC12 cells. Caspase inhibitors (z-IETD.fmk, z-LEHD.fmk and z-DQMD.fmk) and antioxidants attenuated cell death and decrease in GSH contents in PC12 cells treated with 20 microM MG132, a proteasome inhibitor. Calmodulin antagonists (trifluoperazine, W-7 and calmidazolium) had a differential inhibitory effect on the MG132-induced cell death and GSH depletion depending on concentration with a maximal inhibitory effect at 0.5-1 microM. Addition of trifluoperazine and W-7 reduced the MG132-induced nuclear damage, loss of the mitochondrial transmembrane potential followed by cytochrome c release, formation of reactive oxygen species and elevation of intracellular Ca(2+) levels in PC12 cells. Calmodulin antagonists at 5 microM exhibited a cytotoxic effect on PC12 cells but attenuated the cytotoxicity of MG132. The results suggest that the toxicity of MG132 on PC12 cells is mediated by activation of caspase-8, -9 and -3. Trifluoperazine and W-7 at the concentrations of 0.5-1 microM may attenuate the MG132-induced viability loss in PC12 cells by suppressing change in the mitochondrial membrane permeability and by lowering of the intracellular Ca(2+) levels as well as calmodulin inhibition.     

Common mutations of β-catenin in adamantinomatous craniopharyngiomas but not in other tumours originating from the sellar region

Dysregulation of the Wnt signalling pathway contributes to developmental abnormalities and carcinogenesis of solid tumours. Here, we examined -catenin and adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) by mutational analysis in pituitary adenomas (n=60) and a large series of craniopharyngiomas (n=41). Furthermore, the expression pattern of -catenin was immunohistochemically analysed in a cohort of tumours and cysts of the sellar region including pituitary adenomas (n=58), craniopharyngiomas (n=57), arachnoidal cysts (n=8), Rathkes cleft cysts (n=10) and xanthogranulomas (n=6). Whereas APC mutations were not detectable in any tumour entity, -catenin mutations were present in 77% of craniopharyngiomas, exclusively of the adamantinomatous subtype. All mutations affected exon 3, which encodes the degradation targeting box of -catenin compatible with an accumulation of nuclear -catenin protein. In addition, a novel 81-bp deletion of this exonic region was detected in one case. Immunohistochemical analysis confirmed a shift from membrane-bound to nuclear accumulation of -catenin in 94% of the adamantinomatous tumours. Aberrant distribution patterns of -catenin were never observed in the other tumour entities under study. We conclude that -catenin mutations and/or nuclear accumulation serve as diagnostic hallmarks of the adamantinomatous variant, setting it apart from the papillary variant of craniopharyngioma.     

Nitrous oxide inhalation as a cause of cervical myelopathy

Current evidence suggests that the incidence of recreational nitrous oxide inhalation is on the rise. Due to the possibility of clinically significant myelopathy, as well as potential response to treatment, it is important to consider this diagnosis when appropriate. We present a case of acquired ataxia and myelopathy due to nitrous oxide abuse and discuss diagnosis, pathophysiology, and response to treatment.     

Y-chromosomal STR haplotypes in Chinese Uigur ethnic group

We have already coamplified minimal haplotypes (DYS19, DYS389I, DYS389II, DYS390, DYS391, DYS392, DYS393, DYS385I/II), two additional loci, namely, DYS438, DYS439, and Amelogenin, in a single PCR using the Y-PLEX 12 kit. We investigated 107 unrelated male individuals from the Uigur ethnic group and studied the allelic frequency distribution and haplotype diversity of 11 Y-chromosomal STRs. A number of 43 alleles (nine STR loci) and 27 phenotypes (including DYS385) were detected, with frequencies ranging from 0.0092 to 0.6296. A total of 103 haplotypes were identified, among which 99 were individual-specific and four haplotypes were found twice. The haplotype diversity for these 12 Y-STR loci was 0.9993.     

Species identification by means of pyrosequencing the mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene

The aim of this study was to develop a new method for species identification based on the analysis of a very short nucleotide sequence. For this reason, the mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene, together with the new method of pyrosequencing, was used. The detection of only 20 nucleotides, following the sequencing primer within a 149-bp fragment by pyrosequencing, was sufficient to identify the biological origin of the samples by alignment with a reference sequence database. A case example with a piece of skin is presented, and the question whether this piece of skin came from a missing wife or from an animal could be answered.