bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Spontaneous Production of C-C Chemokines by Individuals Infected with Human T Lymphotropic Virus Type II (HTLV-II) Alone and HTLV-II/HIV-1 Coinfected Individuals
Authors: Lewis Martha J. , Gautier Virginie W. , Wang Xue-Ping , Kaplan Mark H. , Hall William W. 
Published: April 2014

Abstract
To investigate the immunological features of human T lymphotropic virus type II (HTLV-II) infection and specific mechanisms whereby HTLV-II might influence the progression of HIV-1 disease in coinfected individuals, we have analyzed the production of the C-C chemokines RANTES and macrophage inflammatory proteins 1α and 1β (MIP-1α and MIP-1β) by PBMCs from HTLV-II-infected and HTLV-II/HIV-1-coinfected individuals. We observed spontaneous production of significant levels of MIP-1α and -1β and, to a lesser extent, RANTES, from individuals infected with HTLV-II alone or with concomitant HIV-1 infection. Spontaneous C-C chemokine production was not observed in PBMCs from uninfected or HIV-1-infected individuals. Although HTLV-II is known to preferentially infect CD8+ lymphocytes in vivo, we observed that whereas RANTES was produced exclusively by the CD8+-enriched fraction, MIP-1α and -1β were produced by both the CD8+-enriched and CD8+-depleted fractions of HTLV-II-infected PBMCs. RT-PCR demonstrated active expression of the HTLV-II regulatory protein Tax in the infected CD8+ T lymphocyte population, and it was further shown that Tax transactivates the promoters of MIP-1β and RANTES. Therefore, it appears that HTLV-II stimulates the production of C-C chemokines both directly at a transcriptional level via the viral transactivator Tax and also indirectly. Although the HTLV-II-infected individuals in this study are all virtually asymptomatic, they certainly display an abnormal immune phenotype. Moreover, our findings suggest that HTLV-II, via chemokine production, would be expected to alter the progression of HIV-1 infection in coinfected individuals.
Generation of Tumor-Reactive CTL Against the Tumor-Associated Antigen HER2 Using Retrovirally Transduced Dendritic Cells Derived from CD34+ Hemopoietic Progenitor Cells
Authors: Meyer zum Büschenfelde Christian , Nicklisch Nicole , Rose-John Stefan , Peschel Christian , Bernhard Helga 
Published: April 2014

AbstractAg-specific CD8+ CTL are crucial for effective tumor rejection. Attempts to treat human malignancies by adoptive transfer of tumor-reactive CTL have been limited due to the difficulty of generating and expanding autologous CTL with defined Ag specificity. The current study examined whether human CTL can be generated against the tumor-associated Ag HER2 using autologous dendritic cells (DC) that had been genetically engineered to express HER2. DC progenitors were expanded by culturing CD34+ hemopoietic progenitor cells in the presence of the designer cytokine HyperIL-6. Proliferating precursor cells were infected by a retroviral vector encoding the HER2 Ag and further differentiated into CD83+ DC expressing high levels of MHC, adhesion, and costimulatory molecules. Retroviral transduction of DC resulted in the expression of the HER2 molecule with a transduction efficiency of 15%. HER2-transduced DC correctly processed and presented the Ag, because HLA-A*0201-positive DC served as targets for CTL recognizing the HLA-A*0201-binding immunodominant peptide HER2369–377. HER2-transduced DC were used as professional APCs for stimulating autologous T lymphocytes. Following repetitive stimulation, a HER2-specific, HLA-A*0201-restricted CTL line was generated that was capable of lysing HLA-A*0201-matched tumor cells overexpressing HER2. A CD8+ T cell clone could be generated that displayed the same specificity pattern as the parenteral CTL line. The ability to generate and expand HER2-specific, MHC class I-restricted CTL clones using HER2-transduced autologous DC in vitro facilitates the development of adoptive T cell transfer for patients with HER2-overexpressing tumors without the requirement of defining immunogenic peptides.
Cutting Edge: B Cell Linker Protein Is Dispensable for the Allelic Exclusion of Immunoglobulin Heavy Chain Locus But Required for the Persistence of CD5+ B Cells
Authors: Xu Shengli , Wong Siew-Cheng , Lam Kong-Peng 
Published: April 2014

AbstractThe pre-B cell receptor (pre-BCR) and the BCR are required for B lymphopoiesis and for the allelic exclusion of Ig genes. Mice lacking B cell linker (BLNK) protein that is a component of the BCR signaling pathway have impaired B cell development. In this report, we show that allelic exclusion is intact in BLNK−/− mice harboring a VH12 transgene. This differs from mice lacking the tyrosine kinase Syk that is upstream of BLNK in BCR signaling and contrasts with mice lacking SLP-76 that is the equivalent adaptor molecule in TCR-signal transduction. We also show that, whereas most wild-type VH12-expressing B cells are CD5+, the majority of the splenic VH12-expressing BLNK−/− B cells are CD5−. A small population of VH12-expressing, BLNK−/− CD5+ B cells is detectable in the peritoneal cavity of younger but not older mice. This suggests that BLNK deficiency affects not only the generation but also the persistence of B-1 cells.
A Subset of Cytolytic Dendritic Cells in Rat
Authors: Trinité Benjamin , Voisine Cécile , Yagita Hideo , Josien Régis 
Published: April 2014

AbstractDendritic cells (DCs) are a rare population of leukocytes specialized in Ag processing and presentation to T cells. We have previously shown that cultured rat splenic DCs exhibit a cytotoxic activity against selected target cells. In this study, we analyzed this function in DCs freshly prepared from lymphoid organs using the DC-specific OX62 mAb and magnetic beads. Freshly extracted splenic DCs, but not lymph node and thymic DCs, exhibited a strong and moderate cytotoxic activity against YAC-1 and K562 target cells, respectively. FACS analyses showed that spleen contained a minor subset (10–15%) of CD4+ and class IIint DCs that also expressed the OX41 Ag and the lymphoid-related Ags CD5 and CD90 (Thy-1) and a major (80–85%) subset of CD4−/OX41−/CD5− and class IIint DCs. The cytotoxic activity of splenic DCs was strictly restricted to the CD4− DCs, a subset poorly represented in LN and thymus. Contrasting with our previous report using cultured splenic DCs, freshly isolated splenic DCs killed YAC-1 cells using a Ca2+-independent mechanism, but this function did not appear mediated by Fas ligand, TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand, or TNF-α. Therefore, rat DCs contain a subset of naturally cytolytic cells that could play a role in both innate and acquired immune responses. Together with our previous report, these data suggest that rat DCs can use two mechanisms of cytotoxicity depending on their maturation/activation state.
Supra-Agonist Peptides Enhance the Reactivation of Memory CTL Responses
Authors: Micheletti Fabiola , Canella Alessandro , Vertuani Simona , Marastoni Mauro , Tosi Lara , Volinia Stefano , Traniello Serena , Gavioli Riccardo 
Published: April 2014

AbstractSingle amino acid substitutions at TCR contacts may transform a natural peptide Ag in CTL ligands with partial agonist, antagonist, or null activity. We obtained peptide variants by changing nonanchor amino acid residues involved in MHC class I binding. These peptides were derived from a subdominant HLA-A2-presented, latent membrane protein 2-derived epitope expressed in EBV-infected cells and in EBV-associated tumors. We found that small structural changes produced ligands with vastly different activities. In particular, the variants that associated more stably to HLA-A2/molecules did not activate any CTL function, behaving as null ligands. Interestingly, T cell stimulations performed with the combination of null ligands and the natural epitope produced significantly higher specific CTL reactivation than reactivation of CTLs induced by the wild-type epitope alone. In addition, these particular variants activated memory CTL responses in the presence of concentrations of natural epitope that per se did not induce T cell responses. We show here that null ligands increased ZAP-70 tyrosine kinase activation induced by the natural epitope. Our results demonstrate for the first time that particular peptide variants, apparently behaving as null ligands, interact with the TCR, showing a supra-agonist activity. These variant peptides did not affect the effector T cell functions activated by the natural epitope. Supra-agonist peptides represent the counterpart of antagonists and may have important applications in the development of therapeutic peptides.
Possible Involvement of Cyclophilin B and Caspase-Activated Deoxyribonuclease in the Induction of Chromosomal DNA Degradation in TCR-Stimulated Thymocytes
Authors: Nagata Takuya , Kishi Hiroyuki , Liu Qing Li , Yoshino Tomoyasu , Matsuda Tadashi , Jin Zhe Xiong , Murayama Kimie , Tsukada Kazuhiro , Muraguchi Atsushi 
Published: April 2014

AbstractTCR engagement of immature CD4+CD8+ thymocytes induces clonal maturation (positive selection) as well as clonal deletion (negative selection) in the thymus. However, the cell death execution events of thymocytes during the negative selection process remain obscure. Using a cell-free system, we identified two different DNase activities in the cytosol of in vivo anti-TCR-stimulated murine thymocytes: one that induced chromosomal DNA fragmentation, which was inhibited by an inhibitor of caspase-activated DNase, and another that induced plasmid DNA degradation, which was not inhibited by an inhibitor of caspase-activated DNase. We purified the protein to homogeneity that induced plasmid DNA degradation from the cytosol of anti-CD3-stimulated thymocytes and found that it is identical with cyclophilin B (Cyp B), which was reported to locate in endoplasmic reticulum. Ab against Cyp B specifically inhibited the DNA degradation activity in the cytosol of anti-CD3-stimulated thymocytes. Furthermore, recombinant Cyp B induced DNA degradation of naked nuclei, but did not induce internucleosomal DNA fragmentation. Finally, we demonstrated that TCR engagement of a murine T cell line (EL4) with anti-CD3/CD28 resulted in the release of Cyp B from the microsome fraction to the cytosol/nuclear fraction. Our data strongly suggest that both active caspase-activated DNase and Cyp B may participate in the induction of chromosomal DNA degradation during cell death execution of TCR-stimulated thymocytes.
Arsenite Induces Apoptosis of Murine T Lymphocytes Through Membrane Raft-Linked Signaling for Activation of c-Jun Amino-Terminal Kinase
Authors: Hossain Khaled , Akhand Anwarul A. , Kato Masashi , Du Jun , Takeda Kozue , Wu Jianghong , Takeuchi Kei , Liu Wei , Suzuki Haruhiko , Nakashima Izumi 
Published: April 2014

AbstractBecause of its dual roles in acute toxicity and in therapeutic application in cancer treatment, arsenic has recently attracted a renewed attention. In this study, we report NaAsO2-induced signal cascades from the cell surface to the nucleus of murine thymic T lymphocytes that involve membrane rafts as an initial signal transducer. NaAsO2 induced apoptosis through fragmentation of DNA, activation of caspase, and reciprocal regulation of Bcl-2/Bax with the concomitant reduction of membrane potential. We demonstrated that NaAsO2-induced caspase activation is dependent on curcumin-sensitive c-Jun amino-terminal kinase and barely dependent on SB203580-sensitive p38 kinase or PD98059-sensitive extracellular signal-regulated kinase. Additionally, staurosporine, which severely inhibited the activation of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) family kinases and c-Jun, partially blocked the NaAsO2-mediated signal for poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) degradation. Potentially as the initial cell surface event for intracellular signaling, NaAsO2 induced aggregation of GPI-anchored protein Thy-1 and superoxide production. This Thy-1 aggregation and subsequent activation of MAP family kinase and c-Jun and the degradation of PARP induced by NaAsO2 were all inhibited by DTT, suggesting the requirement of interaction between arsenic and protein sulfhydryl groups for those effects. β cyclodextrin, which sequestrates cholesterol from the membrane rafts, inhibited NaAsO2-induced activation of protein tyrosine kinases and MAP family kinases, degradation of PARP, and production of superoxide. In addition, β cyclodextrin dispersed NaAsO2-induced Thy-1 clustering. These results suggest that a membrane raft integrity-dependent cell surface event is a prerequisite for NaAsO2-induced protein tyrosine kinase/c-Jun amino-terminal kinase activation, superoxide production, and downstream caspase activation.
The Expression of p18INK4 and p27kip1 Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitors Is Regulated Differently During Human B Cell Differentiation
Authors: Schrantz Nicolas , Beney Georges Edouard , Auffredou Marie Thérèse , Bourgeade Marie Françoise , Leca Gérald , Vazquez Aimé 
Published: April 2014

AbstractCell cycle progression is under the control of cyclin-dependent kinases (cdks), the activity of which is dependent on the expression of specific cdk inhibitors. In this paper we report that the two cdk inhibitors, p27Kip1 and p18INK4c, are differently expressed and control different steps of human B lymphocyte activation. Resting B cells contain large amounts of p27Kip1 and no p18INK4c. In vitro stimulation by Staphylococcus aureus Cowan 1 strain or CD40 ligand associated with IL-10 and IL-2 induces a rapid decrease in p27Kip1 expression combined with cell cycle entry and progression. In contrast, in vitro Ig production correlates with specific expression of p18INK4c and early G1 arrest. This G1 arrest is associated with inhibition of cyclin D3/cdk6-mediated retinoblastoma protein phosphorylation by p18INK4c. A similar contrasting pattern of p18INK4c and p27Kip1 expression is observed both in B cells activated in vivo and in various leukemic cells. Expression of p18INK4c was also detected in various Ig-secreting cell lines in which both maximum Ig secretion and specific p18INK4c expression were observed during the G1 phase. Our study shows that p27Kip1 and p18INK4c have different roles in B cell activation; p27Kip1 is involved in the control of cell cycle entry, and p18INK4c is involved in the subsequent early G1 arrest necessary for terminal B lymphocyte differentiation.
Identification of Five Different Patr Class I Molecules That Bind HLA Supertype Peptides and Definition of Their Peptide Binding Motifs
Authors: McKinney Denise M. , Erickson Ann L. , Walker Christopher M. , Thimme Robert , Chisari Francis V. , Sidney John , Sette Alessandro 
Published: April 2014

AbstractWe have sequenced the Pan troglodytes class I (Patr) molecules from three common chimpanzees and expressed them as single molecules in a class I-deficient cell line. These lines were utilized to obtain purified class I molecules to define the peptide binding motifs associated with five different Patr molecules. Based on these experiments, as well as analysis of the predicted structure of the B and F polymorphic MHC pockets, we classified five Patr molecules (Patr-A*0101, Patr-B*0901, Patr-B*0701, Patr-A*0602, and Patr-B*1301) within previously defined supertype specificities associated with HLA class I molecules (HLA-A3, -B7, -A1, and -A24 supertypes). The overlap in the binding repertoire between specific HLA and Patr class I molecules was in the range of 33 to 92%, depending on the particular Patr molecule as assessed by the binding of HIV-, hepatitis B virus-, and hepatitis C virus-derived epitopes. Finally, live cell binding assays of nine chimpanzee-derived B cell lines demonstrated that HLA supertype peptides bound to Patr class I molecules with frequencies in the 20–50% range.
Molecular Cloning, Characterization, and Expression of TNF cDNA and Gene from Japanese FlounderParalychthys olivaceus
Authors: Hirono Ikuo , Nam Bo-Hye , Kurobe Tomofumi , Aoki Takashi 
Published: April 2014

AbstractWe cloned a cDNA and the gene for Japanese flounder TNF. The TNF cDNA consisted of 1217 bp, which encoded 225 amino acid residues. The identities between Japanese flounder TNF and members of the mammalian TNF family were ∼20–30%. The positions of cysteine residues that are important for disulfide bonds were conserved with respect to those in mammalian TNF-α. The Japanese flounder TNF gene has a length of ∼2 kbp and consists of four exons and three introns. The positions of the exon-intron junction positions of Japanese flounder TNF gene are similar to those of human TNF-α. However, the length of the first intron of Japanese flounder is much shorter than that of the human TNF-α gene. There are simple CA or AT dinucleotide repeats in the 5′-upstream and 3′-downstream regions of the Japanese flounder TNF gene. Southern blot hybridization indicted that Japanese flounder TNF exists as a single copy. Expression of Japanese flounder TNF mRNA is greatly induced after stimulation of PBLs with LPS, Con A, or PMA. These results indicated that Japanese flounder TNF is more like mammalian TNF-α than mammalian lymphotoxin-α, with respect to its gene structure, length of amino acid sequence, number and position of cysteine residues, and regulation of gene expression.
Heavy Chain Revision in MRL Mice: A Potential Mechanism for the Development of Autoreactive B Cell Precursors
Authors: Klonowski Kimberly D. , Monestier Marc 
Published: April 2014

AbstractAbs reactive to DNA and DNA/histone complexes are distinguished by the presence of positively charged amino acids, such as arginine, in the heavy chain complementarity-determining region 3. The presence of these amino acids partly results from atypical VH-D-JH rearrangements such as D-D fusions and D inversions. Previous results in our laboratory demonstrated that newborn autoimmune MRL/MpJ-+/+ mice undergo these unusual recombinations more frequently when compared with normal C3H/HeJ controls. In addition, the heavy chain junctions in newborn MRL mice demonstrated a preferred usage of VH-proximal D genes and distal JH genes suggestive of secondary gene rearrangements. In this study we explore the possibility that adult MRL B220+IgM− pre B cells, which have not yet undergone Ag selection, exhibit similar rearrangement patterns. Indeed, MRL pre-B cells possessed more atypical rearrangements (D-D fusions) than those of C3H/HeJ mice. However, the biased use of upstream D genes and downstream JH genes observed in the newborn MRL mice was not present in the pre-B cell library. These results suggest that the heavy chain rearrangement process persists later during B cell life in lupus-prone mice and lead us to propose a model of heavy chain receptor revision in the periphery of autoimmune mice.
Induction of Vigorous Helper and Cytotoxic T Cell as well as B Cell Responses by Dendritic Cells Expressing a Modified Antigen Targeting Receptor-Mediated Internalization Pathway
Authors: You Zhaoyang , Huang Xue F. , Hester Jenny , Rollins Lisa , Rooney Cliona , Chen Si-Yi 
Published: April 2014

AbstractEfficient Ag presentation is essential to induce effective cellular and humoral immune responses. Thus, one central goal of current immunotherapy and vaccine development is to enhance Ag presentation to induce potent and broad immune responses. Here, a novel Ag presentation strategy is developed by transducing dendritic cells (DCs) to produce an Ag for presentation as an exogenous Ag to efficiently induce both humoral and cellular immunity. The principle of this strategy is illustrated by genetically modifying DCs to secrete a model hepatitis B virus Ag fused with a cell-binding domain and to process the fusion Ag as an exogenous Ag after receptor-mediated internalization for MHC class I and II presentation. Vigorous Ag-specific CD4+ helper and CD8+ cytotoxic T cell, as well as B cell, responses were induced by the transduced DCs in mouse models. Thus, this novel strategy uses a receptor-mediated internalization process to efficiently induce all arms of the adaptive immunity and may provide a powerful means to develop potent vaccines and immunotherapies.
The Soluble Endothelial Protein C Receptor Binds to Activated Neutrophils: Involvement of Proteinase-3 and CD11b/CD18
Authors: Kurosawa Shinichiro , Esmon Charles T. , Stearns-Kurosawa Deborah J. 
Published: April 2014

AbstractThe protein C pathway is a primary regulator of blood coagulation and a critical component of the host response to inflammatory stimuli. The most recent member of this pathway is the endothelial protein C receptor (EPCR), a type I transmembrane protein with homology to CD1d/MHC class I proteins. EPCR accelerates formation of activated protein C, a potent anticoagulant and antiinflammatory agent. The current study demonstrates that soluble EPCR binds to PMA-activated neutrophils. Using affinity chromatography, binding studies with purified components, and/or blockade with specific Abs, it was found that soluble EPCR binds to proteinase-3 (PR3), a neutrophil granule proteinase. Furthermore, soluble EPCR binding to neutrophils was partially dependent on Mac-1 (CD11b/CD18), a β2 integrin involved in neutrophil signaling, and cell-cell adhesion events. PR3 is involved in multiple diverse processes, including hemopoietic proliferation, antibacterial activity, and autoimmune-mediated vasculitis. The observation that soluble EPCR binds to activated neutrophils via PR3 and a β2 integrin suggests that there may be a link between the protein C anticoagulant pathway and neutrophil functions.
Extracellular ATP and TNF-α Synergize in the Activation and Maturation of Human Dendritic Cells
Authors: Schnurr Max , Then Florian , Galambos Peter , Scholz Christoph , Siegmund Britta , Endres Stefan , Eigler Andreas 
Published: April 2014

AbstractExtracellular ATP mediates numerous biological activities by interacting with plasma membrane P2 purinergic receptors. Recently, P2 receptors have been described on dendritic cells (DC), but their functional role remains unclear. Proposed functions include improved Ag presentation, cytokine production, chemotaxis, and induction of apoptosis. We investigated the effects of ATP and of other P2 receptor agonists on endocytosis, phenotype, IL-12 secretion, and T cell stimulatory capacity of human monocyte-derived DC. We found that in the presence of extracellular ATP, DC transiently increase their endocytotic activity. Subsequently, DC up-regulate CD86, CD54, and MHC-II; secrete IL-12; and exhibit an improved stimulatory capacity for allogeneic T cells. These effects were more pronounced when chemically modified ATP derivatives with agonistic activity on P2 receptors, which are resistent to degradation by ectonucleotidases, were applied. Furthermore, ATP and TNF-α synergized in the activation of DC. Stimulated with a combination of ATP and TNF-α, DC expressed the maturation marker CD83, secreted large amounts of IL-12, and were potent stimulators of T cells. In the presence of the P2 receptor antagonist suramin, the effects of ATP were completely abolished. Our results suggest that extracellular ATP may play an important immunomodulatory role by activating DC and by skewing the immune reaction toward a Th1 response through the induction of IL-12 secretion.