Hodgkin's disease: a tumor with disturbed immunological pathways.
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Clone Cells↗
Biomedical subjects
F Herrmann
Publications and source records attributed to F Herrmann.
The human lysozyme gene undergoes stepwise demethylation during phagocyte maturation.
The lysozyme (LZM) gene provides a very useful model for studies of phagocyte maturation, because its protein synthesis is increased during myelopoiesis and thus most abundant in terminally differentiated and activated phagoyctes. LZM gene expression and DNA methylation were examined in various normal and transformed hematopoietic cells. Two shifts toward LZM gene demethylation coincided with upregulation of expression: activation of expression in myeloid precursor cells was associated with significant demethylation at a CpG dinucleotide within an Alu repeat in the 5' flanking region; high-level expression in different types of mature phagocytic cells was associated with complete demethylation at two additional, intragenic CpG sites contained in Alu sequences. The possibility that methylation changes occurring within the 5' region of the human lysozyme gene could be involved in the transcription of this gene is discussed, as well as a possible role for demethylation in the maintenance of distinct maturation stages during phagocyte development.
Cell Differentiation↗
Concomitant manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus and low-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
We describe a patient presenting with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and concomitant low-grade (Ig) non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the B cell type (B-NHL). Although the association of autoimmune disorder and lymphoma is well conceived, there is only scarce information available as to the simultaneous occurrence of both disease conditions in one patient. As in this patient diagnosis of Ig B-NHL was also based on the detection of a monoclonal population of CD5+ B lymphocytes, and given that the polyclonal expansion of CD5+ B cells has been previously reported in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), Sjogren's syndrome (SS) and single cases of SLE, the observations we made in this patient led us to discuss the role of the CD5+ population in the development of rheumatic disorders and concomitant lymphoid malignancy. Moreover, since impaired production rates of interleukin 3 (IL-3) and interleukin 4 (IL-4) have been associated with an abnormal expansion of CD5, lymphoma cells and seeing that soluble interleukin 2 receptor (sIL-2R) serum levels were found to be positively correlated with disease activity both in SLE and Ig B-NHL, these parameters were investigated and related to the patient's disease state throughout the entire clinical observation period.
Adult↗
Prevalence of anticardiolipin and antinuclear antibodies in an elderly hospitalized population and mortality after a 6-year follow-up.
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Aged↗
Lymphoma: role of whole-body 2-deoxy-2-[F-18]fluoro-D-glucose (FDG) PET in nodal staging.
PURPOSE: To compare 2-deoxy-2-[fluorine-18]fluoro-D-glucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) with computed tomography (CT) in primary nodal staging of malignant lymphoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty consecutive patients with untreated, histopathologically proved malignant lymphoma (aged 7-72 years; 33 with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, 27 with Hodgkin disease) underwent FDG PET and contrast material-enhanced CT for nodal staging. Lymph node regions identified at both CT and PET were regarded as actual locations of disease. Discordant results were verified with biopsy or clinical follow-up whenever possible. RESULTS: One hundred sixty of 740 evaluated lymph node regions were identified as diseased at both CT and PET. Of the 25 additional regions seen with PET, seven were true-positive; two, false-positive; and 16, unresolved. CT showed six additional disease manifestations; three were false-positive, and three were unresolved. Staging was changed in the four patients with the seven confirmed additional PET findings: from stage I to II in one patient and from stage II to III in three patients. Staging was changed from stage II to I in one of the three patients with false-positive CT findings. CONCLUSION: FDG PET may be more accurate for detecting nodal lymphoma than incremental CT.
Adolescent↗
CD40/CD40 ligand interactions in normal, reactive and malignant lympho-hematopoietic tissues.
CD40 is a 48 Kd integral membrane protein expressed by cells of B cells, origin, dentritic cells, monocytes, epithelial cells, endothelial cells and tumor cells including carcinomas, B cell lymphomas/leukemias and Hodgkin and Reed-Sternberg (HRS) cells of Hodgkin's disease (HD). CD40 has been clustered as a member of the nerve growth factor (NGF)/tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor superfamily with the corresponding counterstructure, the CD40 ligand (L) being mainly expressed by activated CD4+ T cells, but also some activated CD8+ T cells, basophils, eosinophils, mast cells and stromal cells. CD40L shares significant amino acid homology with TNF particularly in its extracellular domain ("TNF homology region") and is therefore viewed as a member of the TNF ligand superfamily. Binding of CD40L+ T cells to CD40+ B cells is thought to play a major role in T cell-dependent B cell activation, B cell proliferation, Ig isotype switching, memory B cell formation and rescue of B cells from apoptotic death in germinal centers. Mutations of the CD40L gene have been associated with the X-linked hyper-IgM immunodeficiency syndrome, pointing to the critical role of the CD40/CD40L interaction in the T cell-B cell interplay. Accordingly, expression of CD40 by human lympho-hematopoietic tumors has been shown in most of the B cell neoplasias, H-RS cells and HD and some carcinomas. In contrast, CD40L+ tumor cells are almost invariably restricted to CD4+/CD8- T cell lymphomas. Overall, functional CD40/CD40L interactions appear to be critical for cellular activation signals during immune responses and neoplastic tumor cell growth. The understanding of the biology of CD40L has improved our diagnostic and therapeutic repertoire in the management of several human diseases, including CD40+ tumors.
Animals↗
Cytosine methylation changes during normal hematopoiesis and in acute myeloid leukemia.
The possible role of DNA methylation changes during several commitment steps of immature myeloid precursor cells toward functional, terminally differentiated phagocyte cells has previously been examined in the human myeloperoxidase (MPO) and macrophage colony-stimulating factor/c-fms genes using normal and transformed myeloid precursor cells. The human lysozyme (LZM) gene also provides a very useful model, because its protein synthesis is continuously increased during myelopoiesis and thus most abundant in mature phagocytes. Several shifts toward LZM gene demethylation coincide with upregulation of expression: activation of expression in myeloid precursor cells and in primary cells of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) was associated with demethylation at a CpG dinucleotide within the 5' flanking region; high-level expression in different types of normal mature phagocytic cells was associated with complete demethylation at two additional, intragenic CpG sites. Methylation changes occurring within the lysozyme gene could reflect transcriptional control of gene expression or maintenance of distinct maturation stages during phagocyte development. They correlate with maturational arrest and lysozyme gene expression in acute myeloid leukemias and may thus provide a genetic marker for the blocked differentiation of these neoplastic cells. Similar observations have been made for the MPO and c-fms genes.
Cytosine↗
Control of transcriptional activation of the lipopolysaccharide binding protein (LBP) gene by proinflammatory cytokines.
The lipopolysaccharide binding protein (BLP) is of major importance for endotoxin recognition, presentation and subsequent cytokine induction in immune cells. As a member of a growing family of structurally and functionally related proteins, LBP is synthesized in hepatocytes and constitutively secreted into the bloodstream. During the acute-phase response, however, LBP levels rise substantially. In this article the mechanisms of induction of LBP protein synthesis are highlighted. Induction of LBP in hepatocytes is the result of transcriptional and posttranscriptional mechanisms, as shown by nuclear run-on and RNA half-life experiments. Cloning of the 5' flanking region of the LBP gene gave results consistent with the LBP promoter as a typical acute-phase protein promoter. Reporter-gene assays employing the Luciferase gene and mutation variants of the LBP promoter revealed that integrity of a common acute-phase promoter motif, binding STAT-3, is essential for activation of the LBP promoter. Elucidating the transcriptional activation mechanism could show the way how to therapeutically lower LBP levels in high-risk patients in order to reduce their susceptibility to Gram-negative septic shock.
Acute-Phase Proteins↗
Quantitative analysis of cobblestone area-forming cells in bone marrow of patients with aplastic anemia by limiting dilution assay.
In the past, the analysis of primitive human hematopoietic progenitor cells with repopulating activity was limited by lack of appropriate in vitro assay systems. It was recently shown that cobblestone area-forming cells (CAFC) giving rise to cobblestone areas after 5 weeks in long-term marrow cultures (LTMC) represent a population of pluripotent progenitor cells with long-term marrow-repopulating activity. We have used a microtiter limiting dilution-type human LTMC system to quantitate the frequency of CAFC (week 5) in aplastic anemia (AA). In bone marrow mononuclear cells (BM-MNC) of healthy donors (n = 36) we observed a mean frequency of 84.4 CAFC per 10(5) BM-MNC (95% confidence interval limits, 66.4 to 102.4). The mean frequency of CAFC in BM of 31 AA patients was 6.6 per 10(5) BM-MNC (95% confidence interval limits, 5.3 to 7.9; n = 47). This frequency is significantly lower as compared with controls (P < .0001). The frequency of CAFC was reduced not only in pancytopenic AA patients (6.2 per 10(5) BM-MNC; P < .0001 v control), but also in patients in remission after immunosuppression (7.6; P < .0001 v control; P = .1 v pancytopenic AA patients). The CAFC frequency did not correlate with the severity or duration of the disease and did not predict response to immunosuppressive treatment. In summary, the frequency of primitive hematopoietic progenitor cells, as measured by the CAFC assay, is significantly reduced in AA. CAFC remain severely reduced even after hematologic recovery after immunosuppressive treatment. The low frequency of CAFC in remission patients is in keeping with other data pointing to a persisting defect of hematopoiesis in patients in remission after immunosuppressive treatment.
Adolescent↗
Tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor (TRAF)-1, TRAF-2, and TRAF-3 interact in vivo with the CD30 cytoplasmic domain; TRAF-2 mediates CD30-induced nuclear factor kappa B activation.
CD30 is a member of the tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily, which can transduce signals for proliferation, death, or nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappa B) activation. Investigation of CD30 signaling pathways using a yeast two-hybrid interaction system trapped a cDNA encoding the tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor (TRAF)-2 TRAF homology domain. TRAF-1 and TRAF-3 also interacted with CD30, and > 90% of in vitro-translated TRAF-1 or -2, or 50% of TRAF-3, bound to the CD30 cytoplasmic domain. TRAF-1, -2, and -3 bound mostly, but not exclusively, to the carboxyl-terminal 36 residues of CD30. The binding was strongly inhibited by a CD30 oligopeptide centered around a PXQXT (where X is any amino acid) motif shared with CD40 and the Epstein-Barr virus transforming protein LMP1, indicating that this motif in CD30 is an important determinant of TRAF-1, -2 or -3 interaction. At least 15% of TRAF-1, -2, or -3 associated with CD30 when coexpressed in 293 cells. The association was not affected by CD30 cross-linking. However, cross-linking of CD30 activated NF-kappa B. NF-kappa B activation was dependent on the carboxyl-terminal 36 amino acids of CD30 that mediate TRAF association. TRAF-2 has been previously shown to have a unique role in TRAF-mediated NF-kappa B activation, and NF-kappa B activation following CD30 cross-linking was blocked by a dominant negative TRAF-2 mutant. These data indicate that CD30 cross-linking-induced NF-kappa B activation is predominantly TRAF-2-mediated.
Amino Acid Sequence↗
Effects of site-directed mutagenesis of basic residues (Arg 94, Lys 95, Lys 99) of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-binding protein on binding and transfer of LPS and subsequent immune cell activation.
LPS-binding protein (LBP) is a 60-kDa acute phase glycoprotein capable of binding the LPS of Gram-negative bacteria and facilitating its diffusion. This process is thought to be of potential importance in inflammatory reactions and pathogenic states such as septic shock syndrome. Here, we report on the identification of a LPS binding domain within the LBP molecule and on the identification of single amino acids important for binding of LPS by LBP. Several synthetic LBP peptides inhibited LPS-LBP interaction, and amino acids Arg 94 and Lys 95 were centrally located in these inhibitory peptides. LBP mutants with amino acid exchanges within this region were expressed and tested in five different functional assays: binding to immobilized LPS; facilitation of binding of LPS aggregates to monocytes; transfer of LPS monomers from aggregates to soluble CD14; transfer of soluble CD14-bound LPS monomers to high density lipoprotein (HDL); and enhancement of LPS-induced cell activation. The double mutant Glu 94/Glu 95 was completely lacking LPS binding, transfer, and cell stimulatory activity, indicating that the integrity of amino acids 94 and 95 is required for LBP function. While mutations of amino acids Arg 94 or Lys 95 into alanine reduced the LPS binding activity of LBP dramatically, the ability to facilitate binding of LPS aggregates to membrane CD14 at the cell surface was retained. These findings emphasize the distinction between binding of LPS aggregates to cells, which is not associated with cell stimulation, and binding of LPS monomers to CD14, which leads to cell stimulation.
Acute-Phase Proteins↗
Human eosinophils express functional CD30 ligand and stimulate proliferation of a Hodgkin's disease cell line.
The presence of a prominent tissue eosinophilia represents a typical histopathologic hallmark of Hodgkin's disease (HD). To evaluate the putative role of eosinophils on tumor cell regulation in HD, we have analyzed these cells for the functional expression of CD30 ligand (CD30L), a surface molecule able to transduce CD30-mediated proliferation signals on Hodgkin's (H) and Reed-Sternberg (RS) cells. The results demonstrate that circulating and tissue eosinophils from normal donors and patients with HD or hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES), display CD30L mRNA and express CD30L protein, as shown by immunostaining with a specific monoclonal antibody (M80) and with a biotinylated soluble CD30-Fc fusion protein. The surface density of CD30L on eosinophils from HD and HES patients was remarkably higher compared with healthy donors, probably reflecting a cytokine-mediated upregulation in these pathologic conditions. Accordingly, we provide evidence that cytokines regulating eosinophils proliferation and activation, ie, interleukin-5 (IL-5), IL-3, and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), are able to enhance the cellular density of CD30L on purified eosinophils from normal subjects. Finally, we show that native CD30L on human eosinophils is a functionally active surface structure able to transduce proliferative signals on CD30+ target cells, including cultured H-RS cells. Our data suggest that eosinophils may not merely represent innocent bystanders, but rather act as important elements in the pathology of HD by contributing to the deregulated network of CD30/CD30L-mediated interactive signals between H-RS cells and surrounding reactive cells.
CD30 Ligand↗
Clinical experiences with magnetic drug targeting: a phase I study with 4'-epidoxorubicin in 14 patients with advanced solid tumors.
Anticancer drugs reversibly bound to magnetic fluids (ferrofluids) could be concentrated in locally advanced tumors by magnetic fields that are arranged at the tumor surface outside of the organism. If certain requirements are met, systemic toxicity might be minimized, and local tumor efficacy might be increased. We have conducted a Phase I clinical trial using this approach in patients with advanced and unsuccessfully pretreated cancers or sarcomas. Nine such patients received two treatment courses, 3 patients received one course, and 2 patients received three courses of magnetic drug targeting consisting of the infusion of epirubicin in increasing doses (from 5 to 100 mg/m2) that had been chemically bound to a magnetic fluid and the application of magnetic fields to the tumors for 60-120 min. In 2 of 14 patients, the same dose of epirubicin not bound to a magnetic fluid was administered systemically 3 weeks after drug targeting for intraindividual comparisons. Magnetic drug targeting with epirubicin was well tolerated. In one case, a planned second treatment was withdrawn, because of an episode of chills 130 min after infusion of the magnetic drug. Two patients received a third treatment because of good responses after the first two therapies. Based on magnetic resonance tomographic techniques, pharmacokinetics, and the histological detection of magnetites, it was shown that the ferrofluid could be successfully directed to the tumors in about one-half of the patients. Organ toxicity did not increase with the treatment, but epirubicin-associated toxicity appeared at doses greater than 50 mg/m2. Although treatment with magnetic drug targeting seems safe, improvements are necessary to make it more effective and independent of patient- or disease-related problems. A study design to compare conventional treatments with the new treatment form within one patient seems crucial to eliminate interindividual differences.
Adolescent↗
Human fibroblasts express functional IL-2 receptors formed by the IL-2R alpha- and beta-chain subunits: association of IL-2 binding with secretion of the monocyte chemoattractant protein-1.
Expression of IL-2R was examined on human fibroblasts isolated from different tissues. By specific binding assay it is shown that [125I]IL-2 bound to subconfluent adult bone marrow and embryonic skin and lung fibroblasts. The presence of binding sites for IL-2 was also confirmed by immunofluorescence and flow cytometry analysis using mAbs specific for the p55 IL-2R alpha (anti-CD25), p75 IL-2R beta, and p64 IL-2R gamma subunits. Fibroblasts also constitutively transcribed the genes coding for IL-2R alpha and IL-2R beta and accumulated their respective mRNAs but failed to exhibit the IL-2R gamma-chain on the mRNA and protein level. Although addition of IL-2 to fibroblast cultures did not significantly alter growth kinetics of these cells, the IL-2R complex displayed by fibroblasts appeared to be functional in that addition of IL-2 to these cells led to enhanced expression of the JE gene coding for the monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1). Enhancement of fibroblast MCP-1/JE gene expression by IL-2 appeared to result from delayed MCP-1/JE mRNA decay rather than as a consequence of an acceleration of the MCP-1/JE gene transcription rate. IL-2 had, however, no effect on the expression of other cytokine genes including IL-1, IL-5, IL-6, IL-7, IL-8, IL-9, granulocyte-macrophage-CSF, macrophage-CSF or TNF. These observations suggest that the range of cellular targets of IL-2 is broader than originally appreciated. IL-2 may thus serve to integrate fibroblasts and monocytes into a coordinated response of the connective tissue initiated by T lymphocytes.
Adult↗
Lipopolysaccharide induces the rapid tyrosine phosphorylation of the mitogen-activated protein kinases erk-1 and p38 in cultured human vascular endothelial cells requiring the presence of soluble CD14.
Human vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs), which do not display the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) receptor CD14, were examined for protein tyrosine phosphorylation after LPS stimulation in the presence and absence of soluble CD14 (sCD14). By phosphotyrosine Western blotting and immunocomplex kinase assays we show that LPS was capable of inducing in these cells rapid protein tyrosine phosphorylation and kinase activation of two members of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family erk-1 and the newly discovered p38, requiring the presence of sCD14. LPS-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of MAPK was associated with increased transcript- and surface protein expression of intracellular adhesion molecule-1 by HUVECs. MAPK phosphorylation and activation was induced by LPS in concentrations as little as 30 ng/mL and as early as 15 minutes after stimulation. Furthermore, tyrosine kinase inhibitors such as Genistein partially inhibited this effect. These results show that LPS triggers similar signaling events in both CD14+ myelo-monocytic cells and cells lacking the putative LPS-receptor CD14, suggesting the presence of a common, yet unidentified element in LPS-signaling in both cell types.
Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases↗
Transcript synthesis and surface expression of the interleukin-2 receptor (alpha-, beta-, and gamma-chain) by normal and malignant myeloid cells.
Expression of the interleukin-2 receptor alpha-(IL-2Ralpha-), IL-2Rbeta-, and the recently identified IL-2Rgamma-chain was examined on a wide range of cells of myeloid origin including neutrophils, monocytes, normal bone marrow-derived myeloid progenitors enriched for CD34+ cells, bone marrow blasts obtained from acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) patients, and permanent myeloid leukemia cell lines by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and surface membrane analysis using receptor chain-specific monoclonal antibodies and flow cytometry. Expression of the p75 IL-2Rbeta- and the p64 IL-2Rgamma-chain was a common finding in most of the myeloid cell samples investigated, whereas IL-2Ralpha-chain was less frequently expressed. Although the high-affinity IL-2R form (ie, the alpha+, beta+, gamma+ IL-2R form) was detectable in a small minority of primary AML samples as well as the KG-1 cell line and IL-2 binding to these cells was sufficient to initiate signal transduction as evidenced by an increase in overall protein tyrosine phosphorylation and more specifically in tyrosine phosphorylation of the Janus kinase (JAK) 3, in none of these cell types did exposure to IL-2 affect cell growth kinetics. These results suggest that, in myeloid cells, the IL-2R may not stimulate mitogenic responses or that its components may be expressed in a combinational association with receptors for other cytokines and that IL-2Rgamma may play a regulatory role in normal and malignant myelopoiesis possibly independent from IL-2. Because recent studies by others have indicated that the IL-2Rgamma- chain may be shared by the IL-4R, the IL-7R, and most likely the IL-9R, expression of mRNA of these receptor types was also investigated in these cell samples. Surprisingly, in a substantial part of the myeloid lineage cells examined, an IL-2Rgamma+, IL-4R-, IL7R- configuration was noted that was, however, frequently associated with expression of IL-9R. Sharing of IL-9R/IL-2R components was furthermore suggested by inhibition of 125I-IL-2 binding to primary AML cells with excess of unlabeled IL-9.
Acute Disease↗
Activation of Hodgkin cells via the CD30 receptor induces autocrine secretion of interleukin-6 engaging the NF-kappabeta transcription factor.
The CD30 surface molecule is a recently identified member of the tumor necrosis factor/nerve growth factor receptor superfamily. Within the cytoplasmic signal transducing domain, CD30 shares no significant homology to other members of this family. Signaling events engaged via CD30 are still unknown. We here identify the NF-kappabeta transcription factor as a target of the CD30-induced signal pathway in Hodgkin's disease (HD) cells. Exposure of HD cells to CD30 ligand induces release of interleukin-6 (IL-6) that can be duplicated by cross-linking HD-cells to an agonistic anti-CD30 specific monoclonal antibody (alphaCD30), but not by cross-linking to an isotype-identical irrelevant monoclonal antibody. Cross-linking of HD cells to alphaCD30 leads to enhanced accumulation of IL-6 mRNA in a time-dependent fashion resulting from transcriptional activation of the IL-6 promoter. Transient transfection assays using a series of deleted IL-6 promoter constructs linked to the human growth hormone gene as a reporter gene furthermore indicate that transcriptional activation of the IL-6 promoter requires the presence of an intact NF-kappabeta binding site. In addition, introduction of an NF-kappabeta binding site appeared to be sufficient to confer inducibility of an heterologous promoter on activation of CD30 in HD cells. Cross-linking of CD30 promotes rapid and transient binding activity of nuclear proteins to the NF-kappabeta recognition site of the IL-6 promoter. Supershift experiments using a series of monoclonal antibodies recognizing distinct members of the NF-kappaBeta transcription factor family furthermore indicate that in CD30 cross-linked HD cells p50, p65/Rel-A, and Rel-B are present, whereas the c-rel protein is not.
Antibodies, Monoclonal↗
Clinical application of gene transfer.
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Clinical Protocols↗