Biomedical subjects

Cinzia Pizzirani

Publications and source records attributed to Cinzia Pizzirani.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Stimulation of P2 receptors causes release of IL-1beta-loaded microvesicles from human dendritic cells.

Dendritic cells (DCs) are professional antigen-presenting cells that initiate the immune response by activating T lymphocytes. DCs express plasma membrane receptors for extracellular nucleotides named P2 receptors (P2Rs). Stimulation of P2Rs in these cells is known to cause chemotaxis, cytokine release, and cell death and to modulate LPS-dependent differentiation. Here we show that stimulation of the P2X(7) receptor subtype (P2X(7)R) causes fast microvesicle shedding from DC plasma membrane. Vesicle release occurs from both immature and mature DCs; however, only vesicles from mature DCs, due to their previous exposure to LPS, contain IL-1beta. Microvesicles, whether from immature or mature DCs, also contain caspase-1 and -3 and cathepsin D. They also express the P2X(7)R in addition to other P2Rs and known markers of immune cells such as major histocompatibility complex II (MHC II) and CD39. Activation of the P2X(7)R by extracellular ATP causes IL-1beta release from the vesicle lumen. Previous studies demonstrated that high extracellular K(+) inhibits IL-1beta processing and release; here we show that high ionic strength reduces microvesicle shedding when compared with a low ionic strength medium but strongly increases microvesicle IL-1beta loading.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

PubMed2006

A role for P2X7 in microglial proliferation.

Microglia, glial cells with an immunocompetent role in the CNS, react to stimuli from the surrounding environment with alterations of their phenotypic response. Amongst other activating signals, the endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is widely used as a tool to mimic bacterial infection in the CNS. LPS-activated microglia undergo dramatic changes in cell morphology/activity; in particular, they stop proliferating and differentiate from resting to effector cells. Activated microglia also show modifications of purinoreceptor signalling with a significant decrease in P2X(7) expression. In this study, we demonstrate that the down-regulation of the P2X(7) receptor in activated microglia may play an important role in the antiproliferative effect of LPS. Indeed, chronic blockade of the P2X(7) receptor by antagonists (oxidized ATP, KN62 and Brilliant Blue G), or treatment with the ATP-hydrolase apyrase, severely decreases microglial proliferation, down-regulation of P2X(7) receptor expression by small RNA interference (siRNA) decreases cell proliferation, and the proliferation of P2X(7)-deficient N9 clones and primary microglia, in which P2X(7) expression is down-regulated by siRNA, is unaffected by either LPS or P2X(7) antagonists. Furthermore, flow cytometric analysis indicates that exposure to oxidized ATP or treatment with LPS reversibly decreases cell cycle progression, without increasing the percentage of apoptotic cells. Overall, our data show that the P2X(7) receptor plays an important role in controlling microglial proliferation by supporting cell cycle progression.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

The P2X7 receptor: a key player in IL-1 processing and release.

Human IL-1 family proteins are key mediators of the host response to infections, injury, and immunologic challenges. The mechanism by which IL-1 activates proinflammatory responses in target cells, and the plasma membrane receptors involved, is fairly well known. This has led to the development of innovative drugs that block IL-1 downstream to its synthesis and secretion. On the contrary, the mechanism of IL-1 and other IL-1 family members (e.g., IL-18) maturation and release is incompletely understood. Accruing evidence points to a plasma membrane receptor for extracellular ATP, the P2X(7) receptor, as a key player in both processes. A deeper understanding of the mechanism by which the P2X(7) receptor triggers IL-1 maturation and exteriorization may suggest novel avenues for the treatment of inflammatory diseases and provide a deeper insight in the fundamental mechanism of protease activation and cellular export of proteins lacking a leader sequence.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

PubMed2005

5-Hydroxytryptamine modulates cytokine and chemokine production in LPS-primed human monocytes via stimulation of different 5-HTR subtypes.

The neurotransmitter 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), commonly known as serotonin, is released at peripheral sites from activated enterochromaffin cells, mast cells and platelets. In this study we analyzed the biological activity and intracellular signaling of 5-HT in human monocytes. By reverse transcription (RT) and PCR, messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of 5-HT receptor 1E (5-HTR(1E)), 5-HTR(2A), 5-HTR(3), 5-HTR(4) and 5-HTR(7) could be revealed. Functional studies showed that 5-HT modulates the release of IL-1beta, IL-6, IL-8/CXCL8, IL-12p40 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), while it has no effect on the production of IL-18 and IFN-gamma in LPS-stimulated human blood monocytes. Moreover, RT and PCR revealed that 5-HT modulated mRNA levels of IL-6 and IL-8/CXCL8, but did not influence mRNA levels of IL-1beta and TNF-alpha. Pharmacological studies with isotype-selective receptor agonists allowed us to show that 5-HTR(3) subtype up-regulates the LPS-induced production of IL-1beta, IL-6 and IL-8/CXCL8, while it was not involved in TNF-alpha and IL-12p40 secretion. Furthermore, activation of the G(s)-coupled 5-HTR(4) and 5-HTR(7) subtypes increased intracellular cyclic AMP (cAMP) and secretion of IL-1beta, IL-6, IL-12p40 and IL-8/CXCL8, while, on the contrary, it inhibited LPS-induced TNF-alpha release. Interestingly, 5-HTR(1) and 5-HTR(2) agonists did not modulate the LPS-induced cytokine production in human monocytes. Our results point to a new role for 5-HT in inflammation by modulating cytokine production in monocytes via activation of 5-HTR(3), 5-HTR(4) and 5-HTR(7) subtypes.

Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic↗

PubMed2005

Extracellular adenosine 5'-triphosphate modulates interleukin-6 production by human thyrocytes through functional purinergic P2 receptors.

We investigated the presence of P2 receptors (P2Rs) in human thyrocytes and their possible involvement in the modulation of cytokine release. P2Rs expression was assessed by RT-PCR and, when possible, by immunoblotting. Human primary thyrocytes express the mRNA for the following P2X and P2Y subtypes: P2X(3), P2X(5), P2X(6), P2X(7), and P2Y(1), P2Y(2), P2Y(4), and P2Y(11). Stimulation with extracellular nucleotides of fura-2-loaded thyrocytes triggered an intracellular Ca(2+) signal, suggesting expression of functional receptors. Thyrocytes spontaneously released the proinflammatory cytokine IL-6. The ATP-hydrolyzing enzyme apyrase reduced basal IL-6 release, whereas extracellular ATP dose-dependently increased IL-6 secretion. Uridine 5'-triphosphate was also an effective stimulus, whereas benzoyl-ATP was ineffective, suggesting a P2Y- rather than P2X-modulated response. Finally, TSH reduced both the intracellular Ca(2+) ([Ca(2+)](i)) rise and IL-6 release triggered by P2Rs stimulation. In conclusion, we provide functional, pharmacological, and biochemical evidence that human primary thyrocytes express P2YR and P2XR subtypes, coupled to increases in ([Ca(2+)](i)) and secretion of IL-6. P2R-dependent modulation of IL-6 release from human thyrocytes suggests a novel mechanism whereby an inflammatory and/or immune-mediated damage can be initiated and amplified in the thyroid.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

PubMed2004

The antibiotic polymyxin B modulates P2X7 receptor function.

The natural peptide polymyxin B (PMB) is a well-known and potent antibiotic that binds and neutralizes bacterial endotoxin (LPS), thus preventing its noxious effects among LPS-mediated endotoxin shock in animal models. We have investigated the effect of PMB on responses mediated by the P2X(7)R in HEK293 and K562 cells transfected with P2X(7) cDNA and in mouse and human macrophages. In addition, in view of the potential exploitation of P2X(7)-directed agonists in antitumor therapy, we also investigated the effect of PMB in B lymphocytes from patients affected by chronic lymphocytic leukemia. PMB, at an optimal concentration dependent on the given cell type, greatly potentiated the effect of nucleotide-mediated P2X(7) stimulation. In particular, ATP-mediated Ca(2+) influx, plasma membrane permeabilization, and cytotoxicity were enhanced to an extent that, in the presence of PMB, cells were killed by otherwise ineffective nucleotide concentrations. The synergistic effect due to the combined application of ATP and PMB was prevented by incubation with the irreversible P2X blocker oxidized ATP (oATP), but not with the reversible antagonist 1-(N,O-bis(1,5-isoquinolinesulfonyl)-N-methyl-l-tyrosyl)-4-phenilpiperazine (KN-62). Cells lacking P2X(7) were fully insensitive to the combined stimulation with PMB and ATP. Furthermore, PMB at the concentrations used had no untoward effects on cell viability. These results point to PMB as a useful tool for the modulation of P2X(7)R function and suggest that care should be used in the evaluation of ATP-stimulated immune cell responses in the presence of PMB as they may not solely be affected by removal of contaminating LPS.

1-(5-Isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-Methylpiperazine↗

PubMed2004

Extracellular nucleotides are potent stimulators of human hematopoietic stem cells in vitro and in vivo.

Although extracellular nucleotides support a wide range of biologic responses of mature blood cells, little is known about their effect on blood cell progenitor cells. In this study, we assessed whether receptors for extracellular nucleotides (P2 receptors [P2Rs]) are expressed on human hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), and whether activation by their natural ligands, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and uridine triphosphate (UTP), induces HSC proliferation in vitro and in vivo. Our results demonstrated that CD34(+) HSCs express functional P2XRs and P2YRs of several subtypes. Furthermore, stimulation of CD34(+) cells with extracellular nucleotides caused a fast release of Ca(2+) from intracellular stores and an increase in ion fluxes across the plasma membrane. Functionally, ATP and, to a higher extent, UTP acted as potent early acting growth factors for HSCs, in vitro, because they strongly enhanced the stimulatory activity of several cytokines on clonogenic CD34(+) and lineage-negative CD34(-) progenitors and expanded more primitive CD34(+)-derived long-term culture-initiating cells. Furthermore, xenogenic transplantation studies showed that short-term preincubation with UTP significantly expanded the number of marrow-repopulating HSCs in nonobese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficiency mice. Our data suggest that extracellular nucleotides may provide a novel and powerful tool to modulate HSC functions.

Antigens, CD34↗