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Biomedical subjects

B F Haynes

Publications and source records attributed to B F Haynes.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Bromelain treatment of human T cells removes CD44, CD45RA, E2/MIC2, CD6, CD7, CD8, and Leu 8/LAM1 surface molecules and markedly enhances CD2-mediated T cell activation.

Treatment of T cells with the cysteine protease bromelain has been widely used to enhance the binding of human T cells to human E (autologous E rosettes) and has been shown to remove surface T cell CD44 molecules. Ligand binding to CD44 has been shown to markedly augment T cell activation. To study the activation potential of bromelain-treated CD44 T cells, we have compared the proliferation of sham- and bromelain-treated normal human PBMC to mitogenic CD2 mAb. We found that bromelain not only removed T cell CD44, but also removed the CD45RA isoform of CD45 as well as E2/MIC2, CD6, CD7, CD8, and Leu 8/LAM1 molecules. T cell proliferation in response to CD2 mAb was increased 325% in bromelain-treated PBMC compared to sham-treated PBMC (p < 0.005). Reciprocal treatment experiments using purified T cells and monocytes demonstrated that the enhancement of T cell CD2 activation by bromelain occurred only when T cells were treated with bromelain and was accompanied by increased adhesion of T cells to monocytes. These data demonstrate that expression of portions of the extracellular domains of the CD44, CD45RA, E2/MIC2, CD6, CD7, CD8, and Leu 8/LAM1 surface molecules are not required for CD2 activation of human T cells. Rather, the removal of these surface molecules by bromelain is associated with enhanced T cell-monocyte aggregation and enhanced CD2-mediated T cell activation. Taken together with data that CD44, E2/MIC2, CD6, and CD7 mAb inhibit CD2/lymphocyte function-associated Ag-3-mediated cellular interactions and also augment CD2-mediated triggering of T cells, these data suggest that members of the bromelain-sensitive group of surface molecules may comprise a set of CD2-associated adhesion ligands that acts in concert to modulate human T cell activation.

12E7 Antigen

Increase in TCR gamma delta T lymphocytes in synovia from rheumatoid arthritis patients with active synovitis.

To determine the relative presence of TCR gamma delta+ and TCR alpha beta+ T cells in synovial tissue from patients with various types of inflammatory synovitis and in tissues from patients with a number of chronic T cell-mediated conditions, we stained frozen tissue sections with monoclonal antibodies in indirect immunofluorescence assays. In tissues obtained from patients with chronic T cell-mediated granulomatous conditions (Wegener's granulomatosis, lymphomatoid granulomatosis, granuloma annulare, Langerhans' cells granulomatosis, pigmented villonodular synovitis, Takayasu's arteritis, and talc granulomatosis), the T cells present were predominantly TCR alpha beta+, without an increased presence of TCR gamma delta+ cells. In contrast, 6 of 14 (43%) synovia from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) showed increased TCR gamma delta+ T cells (3-10 cells/hpf). The RA synovia with increased TCR gamma delta+ cells present had an increased tissue inflammation score compared to RA synovia with few TCR gamma delta+ cells [18.6 +/- 5.8 versus 11.6 +/- 4.2 (mean +/- SE), P less than 0.05]. In contrast, synovia from patients with osteoarthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and trauma did not show an increased presence of TCR gamma delta+ T cells. Thus, in cellular inflammatory infiltrates the presence of increased TCR gamma delta cells is not a component of noninfectious granulomatous inflammation but is found in approximately 40% of RA synovia with high levels of inflammation.

Adult

In vivo models of human lymphopoiesis and autoimmunity in severe combined immune deficient mice.

The discovery of the SCID mouse mutation has been an important advance for the study of human lymphopoiesis and autoimmunity. Further work in the SCID mouse models described in this review should yield important new information related to transplantation of human hematopoietic stem cells across HLA barriers, characterization of hematopoietic development in vivo, and identification of pathogenic human T cell clones in organ-specific autoimmune diseases. If pluripotent hematopoietic stem cells and pathogenic autoimmune T cells can be defined using SCID mouse recipients, this would pave the way for development of novel strategies for bone marrow transplantation and for interventional immunotherapy of autoimmune diseases targeted at the T cell receptor (99).

Animals

Priming of anti-human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) CD8+ cytotoxic T cells in vivo by carrier-free HIV synthetic peptides.

The generation of antiviral cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) is a critical component of the immune response to viral infections. A safe and nontoxic vaccine for AIDS would optimally use a carrier-free synthetic peptide immunogen containing only components of HIV necessary for induction of protective immune responses. We report that hybrid synthetic peptides containing either a HIV envelope gp120 T-cell determinant (T1) or the envelope gp41 fusion domain (F) N-terminal to HIV CTL determinants are capable of priming murine CD8+, major histocompatibility complex class I-restricted anti-HIV CTLs in vivo. These data demonstrate that carrier-free, nonderivatized synthetic peptides can be used in vivo to induce anti-HIV CTL responses.

Amino Acid Sequence

Regulation of cytokine production in the human thymus: epidermal growth factor and transforming growth factor alpha regulate mRNA levels of interleukin 1 alpha (IL-1 alpha), IL-1 beta, and IL-6 in human thymic epithelial cells at a post-transcriptional level.

Human thymic epithelial (TE) cells produce interleukin 1 alpha (IL-1 alpha), IL-1 beta, and IL-6, cytokines that are important for thymocyte proliferation. The mRNAs for these cytokines are short-lived and are inducible by multiple stimuli. Thus, the steady-state levels for IL-1 and IL-6 mRNAs are critical in establishing the final cytokine protein levels. In this study we have evaluated the effect of epidermal growth factor (EGF), a growth factor for TE cells, and its homologue transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-alpha), on primary cultures of normal human TE cells for the levels of IL-1 alpha, IL-1 beta, IL-6, and TGF-alpha mRNA. We showed that TE cells expressed EGF receptors (EGF-R) in vitro and in vivo, and that treatment of TE cells with EGF or TGF-alpha increased IL-1 and IL-6 biological activity and mRNA levels for IL-1 alpha, IL-1 beta, and IL-6. Neither EGF nor TGF-alpha increased transcription rates of IL-1 alpha, IL-1 beta, and IL-6 genes, but rather both EGF and TGF-alpha increased cytokine mRNA stability. By indirect immunofluorescence assay, TGF-alpha was localized in medullary TE cells and thymic Hassall's bodies while EGF-R was localized to TE cells throughout the thymus. Thus, TGF-alpha and EGF are critical regulatory molecules for production of TE cell-derived cytokines within the thymus and may function as key modulators of human T cell development in vivo.

Cells, Cultured

Induction of T cell CD7 gene transcription by nonmitogenic ionomycin-induced transmembrane calcium flux.

The CD7 molecule is a 40-kDa member of the Ig superfamily that has structural homology to the murine Thy-1 molecule and is acquired early in human T cell ontogeny. Previous studies have demonstrated that expression of the CD7 molecule is markedly up-regulated during T cell activation. In this study, we have studied the signals required for CD7 up-regulation on human T cells. We found that nonmitogenic amounts of ionomycin selectively and maximally up-regulated T cell CD7 on mature (peripheral blood) T cells after 24 h. Whereas CD7 expression was increased 78 +/- 25% by 0.5 microM ionomycin, expression of CD25 (IL-2R alpha), class II MHC, 4F2, transferrin receptor, CD2, CD3, CD4, CD5, and CD8 molecules was not increased. Ionomycin-induced CD7 surface expression was associated with peak increases in CD7 mRNA after 4 to 6 h. Transcriptional analysis and CD7 mRNA half-life determination revealed the increase in CD7 mRNA was the result of increased CD7 gene transcription 1 h after ionomycin stimulation and was not due to prolongation of CD7 mRNA half-life. The up-regulation of surface CD7 expression by ionomycin was dependent on extracellular calcium and did not require the activation of T cell tyrosine protein kinase. Mitogenic CD2 and CD3 mAb as well as stimulation of T cells by PHA also up-regulated CD7 expression. CD7 up-regulation by ionomycin was transient (24 to 72 h) and inhibitable by cyclosporin A, whereas CD7 up-regulation by PHA was sustained over 5 to 7 days and was significantly less inhibitable by cyclosporin A. These data demonstrate that induction of a transmembrane calcium flux generates signals that lead to CD7 gene transcription.

Antibodies, Monoclonal

Thymic microenvironment induces HIV expression. Physiologic secretion of IL-6 by thymic epithelial cells up-regulates virus expression in chronically infected cells.

The hallmark of infection with HIV-1 is progressive depletion and qualitative dysfunction of the CD4+ Th cell population in infected individuals. Clinical trials of antiretroviral agents have shown that, despite suppression of virus replication, regeneration of the T cell pool does not occur. One proposed explanation for the defective regenerative capacity of the CD4+ T cell pool is infection of early T lymphocyte progenitors or stem cells. An additional explanation could be failure of cells of the intrathymic microenvironment (thymic epithelial (TE) cells) to carry out critical nurturing functions for developing thymocytes, i.e., secretion of thymocyte-trophic cytokines and expression of adhesion molecules. This study examines the effect of HIV on cultured TE cells and determines the role of TE cells in the regulation of viral expression in chronically HIV-infected cells. We found no evidence of infection of TE cells after exposure to HIV-1. However, normal human serum induced secretion of IL-6 by TE cells; induction of TE IL-6 was partially blocked by anti-IFN-gamma antibodies. Moreover, supernatants from TE cells maintained in normal human serum up-regulated HIV replication in chronically HIV-1-infected cells. Because intrathymic T cell precursors can be infected with HIV and T cell precursors come into close contact with TE cells in the thymus, IL-6 secreted by TE cells during normal intrathymic development may induce HIV expression in infected thymocytes in vivo and promote the intrathymic spread of HIV.

Cell Communication

A tyrosine kinase physically associates with the beta-subunit of the human IL-2 receptor.

Cell surface expression of the high affinity IL-2R regulates, in part, the proliferative response occurring in Ag- or mitogen-activated T cells. The functional high affinity IL-2R is composed of at least two distinct ligand-binding components, IL-2R alpha (Tac, p55) and IL-2R beta (p70/75). The IL-2R beta polypeptide appears to be essential for growth signal transduction, whereas the IL-2R alpha protein participates in the regulation of receptor affinity. We have prepared and characterized two mAb, DU-1 and DU-2, that specifically react with IL-2R beta. In vitro kinase assays performed with DU-2 immunoprecipitates, but not anti-IL-2R alpha or control antibody immunoprecipitates, have revealed co-precipitation of a tyrosine kinase enzymatic activity that mediates phosphorylation of IL-2R beta. Because both IL-2R alpha and IL-2R beta lack tyrosine kinase enzymatic domains, these findings strongly suggest that noncovalent association of a tyrosine kinase with the high affinity IL-2R complex. Deletion mutants of the intracellular region of IL-2R beta, lacking either a previously described "critical domain" between amino acids 267 and 322 or the carboxyl-terminal 198 residues (IL-2R beta 88), lacked the ability to co-precipitate this tyrosine kinase activity, as measured by phosphorylation of IL-2R beta in vitro. Both of these mutants also failed to transduce growth-promoting signals in response to IL-2 in vivo. Analysis of the IL-2R beta 88 mutant receptor suggested that a second protein kinase mediating phosphorylation on serine and threonine residues physically interacts with the carboxyl terminus of IL-2R beta. This kinase may be necessary but, alone, appears to be insufficient to support a full IL-2-induced proliferative response. These studies highlight the physical association of protein kinases with the cytoplasmic domain of IL-2R beta and their likely role in IL-2-induced growth signaling mediated through the multimeric high affinity IL-2R complex.

Animals

Isolation and characterization of the genomic human CD7 gene: structural similarity with the murine Thy-1 gene.

The human CD7 molecule is a 40-kDa member of the immunoglobulin gene superfamily that is expressed on T-lymphoid and myeloid precursors in fetal liver and bone marrow. CD7 is also expressed on T lymphocytes in multiple stages of T-cell development, including a major subset of mature peripheral T cells. In this paper we report the isolation and characterization of the human CD7 gene and 5' flanking region. Sequence analysis revealed that the CD7 gene comprises four exons that span 3.5 kilobases. The 5' flanking region (506 base pairs) has a high G + C content and no "TATA" or "CCAAT" elements. DNase I sensitivity analysis of chromatin from the CD7+ progenitor cell leukemia line, DU528, and the CD7-, CD4+, CD8+, TCR alpha beta + T-cell line, DU980 (where TCR is the T-cell receptor), revealed two distinct hypersensitive sites 5' of the CD7 gene. Hypersensitive site 1, present in the DU980 T-cell line, was located 4.5 kilobases upstream of the presumed CD7 transcription initiation site. Only DNase I hypersensitive site 2, which mapped to the promoter region, was found in the DU528 line. Comparison of the organization of the CD7 gene with that of other members of the immunoglobulin gene superfamily revealed that the human CD7 gene most closely resembles the murine Thy-1 gene. Both CD7 and Thy-1 are encoded by small genes with four exons, contain TATA-less promoters, and have a similar functional organization. These structural similarities suggest that human CD7 and murine Thy-1 may be functional homologues.

Amino Acid Sequence

Successful engraftment of human postnatal thymus in severe combined immune deficient (SCID) mice: differential engraftment of thymic components with irradiation versus anti-asialo GM-1 immunosuppressive regimens.

To develop a model of human thymus growth in vivo, we have implanted postnatal human thymus under the renal capsule of severe combined immune deficient (SCID) mice and assayed for graft survival and graft characteristics 1-3 mo after engraftment. Three groups of SCID mice were engrafted with postnatal human thymus: untreated SCID mice, SCID mice pretreated with 400 cGy of gamma irradiation 1-5 d before engraftment, and SCID mice treated with intraperitoneal anti-asialo GM-1 antiserum every 4-5 d during engraftment. In the untreated group of SCID mice, only 37% of grafts survived and consisted of human thymic microenvironment components and human immature thymocytes. Irradiation of SCID mice before engraftment improved survival of human thymic grafts to 83%, but these grafts were largely devoid of thymocytes and contained only thymic microenvironment components with large numbers of thymic macrophages. Treatment of SCID mice with anti-asialo GM-1 antiserum throughout the engraftment period also promoted human thymus engraftment (70%) and induced SCID B cell Ig production (SCID[Ig+]) in 38% of animals. In SCID(Ig-) anti-asialo GM-1-treated mice, the human thymic grafts were similar in content to those in untreated SCID mice. However, in anti-asialo GM-1-treated animals with grafts that became SCID(Ig+), all animals were found to have mouse-human chimeric grafts in that the human thymic microenvironment (human fibroblasts, thymic epithelium, vessels) was colonized by murine T cells. These data demonstrate that human postnatal thymus will grow as xenografts in SCID mice, and that the components of human thymus that engraft are dependent on the immunosuppressive regimen used in recipient mice. A striking finding in this study was the induction of T and B lymphopoiesis in SCID mice by abrogation of NK cell activity with in vivo anti-asialo GM-1 treatment. These data strongly suggest that asialo GM-1+ NK cells and/or macrophages play a role in mediation of suppression of lymphopoiesis in SCID mice.

Animals

Measurement of an adhesion molecule as an indicator of inflammatory disease activity. Up-regulation of the receptor for hyaluronate (CD44) in rheumatoid arthritis.

The hyaluronate receptor (CD44) molecule is a multifunctional cell surface protein involved in T cell activation, monocyte cytokine release, fibroblast locomotion, and lymphocyte binding to high endothelial venules. To study the roles CD44 molecules play in inflammatory synovitis, we measured expression of CD44 in inflamed and noninflamed synovial fluid and tissue, using indirect immunofluorescence assays on tissue sections and quantitative Western blot analysis. The ability of purified CD44 protein to modulate T cell responses was tested in T cell activation assays in which CD44-containing liposomes were added in vitro. CD44 was widely expressed on many synovial cell types, and synovial tissue from rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients contained 3.5 times more CD44 than tissue from osteoarthritis patients and 10.7 times more than tissue from patients with joint trauma. The level of soluble CD44 in RA synovial fluid was elevated only in fluids with low cell counts (less than or equal to 7,000/mm3), and not in RA synovial fluid with higher cell counts. Soluble purified CD44 protein in liposomes partially suppressed T cell activation in vitro. These data demonstrate that CD44 is up-regulated on many synovial cell types in patients with RA, and that the level of CD44 present in synovial tissue is related to the degree of synovial inflammation. Determination of ways to inhibit the proinflammatory functions of immune cell membrane CD44 molecules may provide new therapeutic modalities for RA.

Adult

The specialized centers of research in rheumatoid arthritis. Recent progress and prospects for future advances.

Specialized Centers of Research (SCOR) in arthritis are interdisciplinary research programs to investigate disease pathogenesis as well as advance diagnosis and treatment. A recent meeting of investigators from the three SCOR programs in rheumatoid arthritis demonstrated progress in several important research areas. Because of the multiplier effects of SCOR programs, new investigators have been enlisted into arthritis research as issues related to this disease become a focus of investigation throughout universities and medical centers. Continued progress by the SCOR programs should provide new targets for therapeutic intervention as well as strategies for monitoring disease activity.

Academic Medical Centers

Analysis of clones derived from human CD7+CD4-CD8-CD3- thymocytes.

The differentiation of human thymocyte precursors was studied by analysis of clonal progeny of CD4-CD8-CD3- (triple negative or TN) thymocytes. Using a culture system of phytohemagglutinin, IL-2, and irradiated allogeneic lymphoid feeder cells, we found that 48% of clones (104 total) derived from TN thymocyte suspensions were TCR gamma delta cells, 12% of clones were TCR alpha beta cells, and 34% were CD16+CD3- cells. Importantly, 6% of clones were novel subsets of CD4+CD8-CD3- or CD4-CD8+CD3- thymocytes. The majority of TCR alpha beta, TCR gamma delta, and CD16+CD3- clones expressed low levels of CD4. Molecular analysis of freshly isolated TN- thymocytes prior to in vitro culture demonstrated that up to 40% of cells had TCR gamma, delta, and beta gene rearrangements, but were negative in indirect immunofluorescence assays for cytoplasmic TCR delta and beta. These data provide evidence at the clonal level for the presence of precursors of the TCR alpha beta and TCR gamma delta lineages in the human TN thymocyte pool. Moreover, a substantial proportion of freshly isolated human TN thymocytes had already undergone TCR gene rearrangement prior to in vitro culture. Whether these precursors of the TCR alpha beta and TCR gamma delta lineages mature from cells already containing TCR gene rearrangements into sTCR+ cells or differentiate in vitro from cells with TCR genes in germline configuration remains to be determined. Nonetheless, these data demonstrate that the predominant clone types that grow out of human TN thymocytes in vitro are TCR gamma delta and NK cells.

Antigens, CD

The Duke University Arthritis Center.

The Duke University Arthritis Center has brought together both clinicians and basic scientists into a common structure to achieve a singular goal--that of improving the health and welfare of patients with immune-mediated diseases in North Carolina and surrounding states. The structure of DUAC allows new insights gained by basic immunologic research to be rapidly applied to clinical rheumatologic diseases by channelling basic information to the clinical investigative unit in DUAC. Here new treatment strategies are developed and tested and made available to patients when they are judged to be both safe and efficacious. In the DUAC comprehensive clinics, the best treatments available to patients with rheumatologic diseases are provided in a setting designed to be user-friendly to patients and comprehensive in services offered.

Academic Medical Centers

Constitutive expression of a groEL-related protein on the surface of human gamma/delta cells.

Rabbit antibodies to hsp58 (P1), the human homologue of the Escherichia coli stress protein groEL, react specifically in indirect immunofluorescence and complement-dependent microcytoxicity experiments with a cell surface antigen expressed constitutively by T cell lines bearing gamma/delta receptors. This anti-hsp58-reactive antigen is not demonstrable on T cells that express alpha/beta receptors or on various cells that lack T cell receptors. Certain evidence was obtained to suggest that the target antigen on the surface of gamma/delta T cells is a approximately 77-kD protein distinct from intracellular hsp58 and known members of the hsp70 stress protein family. While the exact nature and significance of this anti-hsp58-reactive protein remain to be determined, these data may help to clarify the roles of groEL-related stress proteins and gamma/delta cells that recognize groEL homologous in immunologic defense against infection and in autoimmune disease.

Antibodies

Human thymic epithelial cells produce IL-6, granulocyte-monocyte-CSF, and leukemia inhibitory factor.

The development of conditions for culturing normal human thymic epithelial (TE) cells free from contaminating stromal cells has allowed us to characterize a number of cytokines produced by TE cells. Using cDNA probes for human IL-6, granulocyte-monocyte-CSF, and leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), we identified mRNA for these cytokines by RNA blot analysis of total RNA preparations derived from TE cells. We demonstrated that TE cells produced IL-6 transcripts and that TE cell culture supernatants contained IL-6 biologic activity, as determined by the ability to support proliferation of the T1165 plasmacytoma line. The 1.0-kilobase (kb) transcript of granulocyte-monocyte-CSF was also detected in TE cell-derived total RNA. TE cell culture supernatants contained LIF activity, as determined by proliferation of the murine cell line DA-1a, and a 4.0-kb LIF transcript was detected in TE cell-derived total RNA preparations. The 4.0-kb LIF transcript from TE cell-derived total RNA corresponded in size to the LIF transcripts in PMA-activated T lymphocytes. Thus, using biologic assays and RNA blot analysis, we demonstrated that cultured normal human TE cells produced both immunoregulatory cytokines and cytokines that drive various differentiation stages of human hematopoiesis. Our findings support the hypothesis that TE cells may play a role in providing cytokines that are important for the proliferation and differentiation of hematopoietic precursor cells that migrate to the thymus during fetal and postnatal human thymic development.

Antigens, CD7

Synthetic peptides containing T and B cell epitopes from human immunodeficiency virus envelope gp120 induce anti-HIV proliferative responses and high titers of neutralizing antibodies in rhesus monkeys.

We have previously described a synthetic peptide (T1-SP10) derived from two noncontiguous regions of HTLVIIIB envelope gp120 (T1, amino acids 428-443; SP10, amino acids 303-321) that induced type-specific anti-HIV neutralizing antibodies and T cell proliferative responses against native HIV gp120 when used as a carrier-free immunogen in goats. In this study, HTLVIIIB T1-SP10 synthetic peptides were used to immunize rhesus monkeys to determine if the peptides were capable of eliciting HIV-specific neutralizing antibody and proliferative responses in primates. Four compounds (alum, polyA:polyU, threonyl-muramyldipeptide (MDP) and IFA) were also compared for efficacy as adjuvants in this system. Rhesus monkeys immunized with T1-SP10 peptides generated high titers of antibodies against the immunogens and also against HTLVIIIB gp120. Sera from all four animals given T1-SP10 in IFA or threonyl-MDP neutralized infection by HTLVIIIB and blocked virus-dependent cell fusion events. A peak neutralization titer of 1:940 was seen in one animal given IFA (19600) and a titer of 1:900 was seen in one of the monkeys (17371) given threonyl-MDP. Proliferative responses of immune rhesus PBMC to T1-SP10 appeared after the first injection. After eight immunizations, two of eight monkeys (one injected with peptides in threonyl-MDP and one given peptides in IFA) had PBMC proliferative responses to native HTLVIIIB gp120. These data demonstrate that the carrier-free T1-SP10 synthetic peptide construct can induce high titers of neutralizing anti-HIV antibody responses and PBMC proliferative responses to HIV in primates.

Adjuvants, Immunologic