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Biomedical subjects

F W van Ginkel

Publications and source records attributed to F W van Ginkel.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

A clinical inflammatory syndrome attributable to aerosolized lipid-DNA administration in cystic fibrosis.

Immunologic reactivity to lipid-DNA conjugates has traditionally been viewed as less of an issue than with viral vectors. We performed a dose escalation safety trial of aerosolized cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) cDNA to the lower airways of eight adult cystic fibrosis patients, and monitored expression by RT-PCR. The cDNA was complexed to a cationic lipid amphiphile (GL-67) consisting of a cholesterol anchor linked to a spermine head group. CFTR transgene was detected in three patients at 2-7 days after gene administration. Four of the eight patients developed a pronounced clinical syndrome of fever (maximum of 103.3EF), myalgias, and arthralgia beginning within 6 hr of gene administration. Serum IL-6 but not levels of IL-8, IL-1, TNF-alpha, or IFN-gamma became elevated within 1-3 hr of gene administration. No antibodies to the cationic liposome or plasmid DNA were detected. We found that plasmid DNA by itself elicited minimal proliferation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells taken from study patients, but led to brisk immune cell proliferation when complexed to a cationic lipid. Lipid and DNA were synergistic in causing this response. Cellular proliferation was also seen with eukaryotic DNA, suggesting that at least part of the immunologic response to lipid-DNA conjugates is independent of unmethylated (E. coli-derived) CpG sequences that have previously been associated with innate inflammatory changes in the lung.

Administration, Inhalation↗

Oral QS-21 requires early IL-4 help for induction of mucosal and systemic immunity.

The highly purified saponin derivative, QS-21, from the Quillaja saponaria Molina tree has been proved to be safe for parenteral administration and represents a potential alternative to bacterial enterotoxin derivatives as a mucosal adjuvant. Here we report that p.o. administration of QS-21 with the vaccine protein tetanus toxoid elicited strong serum IgM and IgG Ab responses, which were only slightly enhanced by further oral immunization. The IgG Ab subclass responses were predominantly IgG1 followed by IgG2b for the 50-microg p.o. dose of QS-21, whereas the 250-microg p.o. dose also induced IgG2a and IgG3 Abs. Low oral QS-21 doses induced transient IgE Ab responses 7 days after the primary immunization, whereas no IgE Ab responses were seen in mice given the higher QS-21 dose. Further, low but not high p.o. QS-21 doses triggered Ag-specific secretory IgA (S-IgA) Ab responses. Th cell responses showed higher IFN-gamma (Th1-type) and lower IL-5, IL-6, and IL-10 (Th2-type) secretion after the high QS-21 p.o. dose than after low doses. Interestingly, the mucosal adjuvant activity of low oral QS-21 doses was diminished in IL-4(-/-) mice, suggesting a role for this cytokine in the initiation of mucosal immunity by oral QS-21. In summary, our results show that oral QS-21 enhances immunity to coadministered Ag and that different doses of QS-21 lead to distinct patterns of cytokine and serum Ab responses. We also show that an early IL-4 response is required for the induction of mucosal immunity by oral QS-21 as adjuvant.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗

A revisit of mucosal IgA immunity and oral tolerance.

Induction of mucosal immunity by oral immunization with protein antigen alone is difficult: potent mucosal adjuvants, vectors, or other special delivery systems are required. Cholera toxin (CT) has been shown to be an effective adjuvant for the development of mucosal vaccines and, when given with vaccine, induces both mucosal and systemic immune responses via a Th2 cell-dependent pathway. However, and in addition to potential type-I hypersensitivity, a major concern for use of mucosal adjuvants such as CT is that this molecule is not suitable for use in humans because of its inherent toxicity. When we examined the potential toxicity of CT for the central nervous system, both CT and CT-B accumulated in the olfactory nerves/epithelium and olfactory bulbs of mice when given by the nasal route. The development of effective mucosal vaccines for the elderly is also an important issue; however, only limited information is available. When mucosal adjuvanticity of CT was evaluated in aged mice, an early immune dysregulation was evident in the mucosal immune system. The present review discusses these potential problems for effective mucosal vaccine development. Tolerance represents the most common and important response of the host to environmental antigens, including food and commensal bacterial components, for the maintenance of an appropriate immunological homeostasis. We have examined whether Peyer patches could play a more important role for the maintenance of oral tolerance. Using Peyer patch-null mice, we found that mice lacking this gut-associated lymphoid tissue retained their capability to produce secretory IgA antibodies but did not develop normal oral tolerance to protein antigens.

Administration, Inhalation↗

Cutting edge: the mucosal adjuvant cholera toxin redirects vaccine proteins into olfactory tissues.

We tested the notion that the mucosal adjuvant cholera toxin (CT) could target, in addition to nasal-associated lymphoreticular tissues, the olfactory nerves/epithelium (ON/E) and olfactory bulbs (OBs) when given intranasally. Radiolabeled CT ((125)I-CT) or CT-B subunit ((125)I-CT-B), when given intranasally to mice, entered the ON/E and OB and persisted for 6 days; however, neither molecule was present in nasal-associated lymphoreticular tissues beyond 24 h. This uptake into olfactory regions was monosialoganglioside (GM1) dependent. Intranasal vaccination with (125)I-tetanus toxoid together with unlabeled CT as adjuvant resulted in uptake into the ON/E but not the OB, whereas (125)I-tetanus toxoid alone did not penetrate into the CNS. We conclude that GM1-binding molecules like CT target the ON/E and are retrograde transported to the OB and may promote uptake of vaccine proteins into olfactory neurons. This raises concerns about the role of GM1-binding molecules that target neuronal tissues in mucosal immunity.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗

Complement-dependent acute-phase expression of C-reactive protein and serum amyloid P-component.

The acute-phase response (APR) is regulated by TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, and IL-6 acting alone, in combination, or in concert with hormones. The anaphylotoxin C5a, generated during complement activation, induces in vitro the synthesis of these cytokines by leukocytes and of acute-phase proteins by HepG2 cells. However, there is no clear evidence for a role of C5a or any other complement activation product in regulation of the APR in vivo. In this study, using human C-reactive protein (CRP) transgenic mice deficient in C3 or C5, we investigated whether complement activation contributes to induction of the acute-phase proteins CRP and serum amyloid P-component (SAP). Absence of C3 or C5 resulted in decreased LPS-induced up-regulation of the CRP transgene and the mouse SAP gene. Also, LPS induced both the IL-1beta and IL-6 genes in normocomplementemic mice, but in complement-deficient mice it significantly induced only IL-6. Like LPS injection, activation of complement by cobra venom factor led to significant elevation of serum CRP and SAP in normocomplementemic mice but not in complement-deficient mice. Injection of recombinant human C5a into human CRP transgenic mice induced the IL-1beta gene and caused significant elevation of both serum CRP and SAP. However, in human CRP transgenic IL-6-deficient mice, recombinant human C5a did not induce the CRP nor the SAP gene. Based on these data, we conclude that during the APR, C5a generated as a consequence of complement activation acts in concert with IL-6 and/or IL-1beta to promote up-regulation of the CRP and SAP genes.

Acute-Phase Reaction↗

Gamma interferon is not required for mucosal cytotoxic T-lymphocyte responses or heterosubtypic immunity to influenza A virus infection in mice.

Heterosubtypic immunity (HSI) is defined as cross-protection against influenza virus of a different serotype than the virus initially encountered and is thought to be mediated by influenza virus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL). Since gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) stimulates cytotoxic cells, including antigen-specific CTL which may control virus replication by secretion of antiviral cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor alpha and IFN-gamma, we have investigated the mechanism of HSI by analyzing the role of IFN-gamma for HSI in IFN-gamma gene-deleted (IFN-gamma(-/-)) mice. It has been reported that IFN-gamma is not required for recovery from primary infection with influenza virus but is important for HSI. Here, we conclusively show that IFN-gamma is not required for induction of secondary influenza virus-specific CTL responses in mediastinal lymph nodes and HSI to lethal influenza A virus infection. Although T helper 2 (Th2)-type cytokines were upregulated in the lungs of IFN-gamma(-/-) mice after virus challenge, either Th1- or Th2-biased responses could provide heterosubtypic protection. Furthermore, titers of serum-neutralizing and cross-reactive antibodies to conserved nucleoprotein in IFN-gamma(-/-) mice did not differ significantly from those in immunocompetent mice. These results indicate that lack of IFN-gamma does not impair cross-reactive virus-specific immune responses and HSI to lethal infection with influenza virus. Our findings provide new insight for the mechanisms of HSI and should be valuable in the development of protective mucosal vaccines against variant virus strains, such as influenza and human immunodeficiency virus.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

Partial IgA-deficiency with increased Th2-type cytokines in TGF-beta 1 knockout mice.

Though it has been shown that TGF-beta 1 directs B cells to switch to IgA in vitro, no studies have assessed TGF-beta 1 effects on mucosal vs systemic immunity in vivo. When the B cell functions of TGF-beta 1 gene-disrupted (TGF-beta 1-/-) mice were analyzed, significantly decreased IgA levels and increased IgG and IgM levels in serum and external secretions were observed. Further, analysis of Ab forming cells (AFC) isolated from both mucosal and systemic lymphoid tissue showed elevated IgM, IgG, and IgE, with decreased IgA AFC. A lack of IgA-committed B cells was seen in TGF-beta 1-/- mice, especially in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Splenic T cells triggered via the TCR expressed elevated Th2-type cytokines and, consistent with this observation, a 31-fold increase in serum IgE was seen in TGF-beta 1-/- mice. Thus, uncontrolled B cell responses, which include elevated IgE levels, a lack of antiinflammatory IgA, and an excess of complement-binding IgG and IgM Abs, will promote inflammation at mucosal surfaces in TGF-beta 1-/- mice and likely contribute to pulmonary and GI tract lesions, ultimately leading to the early death of these mice.

Animals↗

Heterosubtypic immunity to lethal influenza A virus infection is associated with virus-specific CD8(+) cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses induced in mucosa-associated tissues.

Heterosubtypic immunity, defined as cross-reactive immune responses to influenza virus of a different serotype than the virus initially encountered, was investigated in association with virus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses induced in systemic and mucosa-associated lymph nodes after immunization via different routes. Mice immunized by the pulmonary route with live nonpathogenic influenza virus, strain Udorn (H3N2), survived challenge with mouse-adapted pathogenic influenza virus, strain PR/8/34 (H1N1). These mice developed strong heterosubtypic CTL responses in spleen, cervical lymph nodes (CLN), and mediastinal lymph nodes (MLN). Alternately, only 20% of mice immunized intravenously, intraperitoneally, or intranasally survived the challenge; all of these developed CTL responses in spleen and CLN, but not in MLN. Direct correlation between short-term and long-term memory heterosubtypic CTL responses induced in MLN and host recovery after lethal infection indicates that these CTL responses may play an important role in heterosubtypic immunity. Furthermore, induction and maintenance of memory CTL in regional mucosa-associated lymphoid tissues are highly dependent on mucosal immunization. The results implicate the mechanism of heterosubtypic immunity and should be an important consideration in the development of protective mucosal vaccines against variant strains of influenza and HIV.

Adaptation, Biological↗

Expression of recombinant enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli colonization factor antigen I by Salmonella typhimurium elicits a biphasic T helper cell response.

Protective immunity to enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is antibody (Ab) dependent; however, oral immunization with purified ETEC fimbriae fails to elicit protective immunity as a consequence of antigenic alteration by the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Unless unaltered ETEC fimbriae can reach the inductive lymphoid tissues of the GI tract, immunity to ETEC cannot be induced. To produce immunity, live vectors, such as Salmonella typhimurium, can effectively target passenger antigens to the inductive lymphoid tissues of the GI tract. By convention, oral immunizations with Salmonella vectors induce CD4(+) T helper (Th) cell responses by gamma interferon (IFN-gamma)-dominated pathways both to the vector and passenger antigen, resulting in serum immunoglobulin G2a (IgG2a) and modest mucosal IgA Ab responses. In the present study, mice orally immunized with a Salmonella vector engineered to stably express ETEC colonization factor antigen I (CFA/I) showed initially elevated serum IgG1 and mucosal IgA anti-CFA/I Ab responses. As expected, mice orally immunized with an E. coli-CFA/I construct elicited poor anti-CFA/I Ab responses. In fact, the addition of cholera toxin during oral E. coli-CFA/I immunization failed to greatly enhance mucosal IgA Ab responses. Seven days after immunization with the Salmonella-CFA/I construct, cytokine-specific ELISPOT showed induction of predominant Th2-type responses in both mucosal and systemic immune compartments supporting the early IgG1 and IgA anti-CFA/I Abs. By 4 weeks, the Th cell response became Th1 cell dominant from the earlier Th2-type responses, as evidenced by increased mucosal and systemic IFN-gamma-producing T cells and a concomitant elevation of serum IgG2a Ab responses. This biphasic response offers an alternative strategy for directing Salmonella vector-induced host immunity along a Th2 cell-dependent pathway, allowing for early promotion of mucosal and systemic Abs.

Animals↗

Strategies for mucosal vaccine development.

Vaccines able to induce both secretory IgA for protection of mucosal surfaces and systemic immunity to pathogens invading the host are of great interest in the war against infectious diseases. Mucosal vaccines trigger immune cells in mucosal inductive sites and thus can induce immunity in both the mucosal and systemic compartments. This review presents a critical survey of adjuvants and delivery systems currently being tested for mucosal immunization. A better understanding of cellular and molecular factors involved in the regulation of mucosal immunity will help in the design of safer mucosal vaccines to elicit the appropriate protective immune response to a given pathogen.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗

Testosterone and IL-6 requirements for human C-reactive protein gene expression in transgenic mice.

In vitro, IL-6 is the main inducer of the human C-reactive protein (CRP) gene, and IL-1 and steroids can enhance this effect. However, in mice, IL-6 is necessary but not sufficient for induction of the human CRP transgene, and testosterone is required for its constitutive expression by males. To examine the relative contributions of testosterone and IL-6 in the regulation of CRP gene expression, we produced CRP-transgenic (CRPtg), IL-6-deficient (IL-6-/-) mice. Male CRPtg/IL-6-/- mice expressed CRP constitutively, but CRP levels were not increased after injection of LPS. However, acute-phase CRP levels were attained after injection of IL-6. In contrast, female CRPtg/IL-6-/- mice did not express CRP constitutively or after administration of LPS, IL-6, IL-1, or IL-6 plus IL-1. Like males, testosterone-treated CRPtg/IL-6-/- females expressed CRP constitutively, and their transgene responded to injection of IL-6. The endogenous acute-phase protein serum amyloid P (SAP) was expressed constitutively equally by male and female IL-6-/- mice, responded minimally to LPS, and did not respond to either IL-6 or IL-1 alone. Acute-phase levels of SAP were induced in IL-6-/- mice by injection of IL-6 together with IL-1 or LPS. We conclude that in vivo, both constitutive and IL-6-dependent acute-phase expression of the CRP transgene require testosterone. In contrast, testosterone is not required for expression of the SAP gene, which requires IL-1 plus IL-6 for acute-phase induction.

Age Factors↗

Adenoviral gene delivery elicits distinct pulmonary-associated T helper cell responses to the vector and to its transgene.

Replication-deficient adenovirus (Ad) vectors are effective to specifically target the respiratory epithelium for either corrective gene therapy such as cystic fibrosis or for mucosal immunization. As a consequence of transducing the lower respiratory tract with an E1/E3 deleted Ad5 vector, host responses have been characterized by the duration of transgene expression and by the induction of CTL responses. However, limited emphasis has been devoted to understanding the contribution of CD4+ T cell responses to the Ad vector. Both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells migrate into the lung following sequential intratracheal Ad5 transgene instillations. Isolated CD3+ T lymphocytes from the lungs were predominantly of the Th2 type, and after cell sorting, the IL-4-producing T cells were largely CD4+, while IFN-gamma expression was associated with both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. Ab responses to the Ad5 vector and to the expressed transgene beta-galactosidase (beta gal) revealed elevated bronchial and serum IgA and IgG Abs with low neutralization titers. Analysis of serum IgG subclass responses showed IgG1 and IgG2b with lower IgG2a Abs to Ad5 and IgG2a and IgG2b Ab responses to beta gal. Ad5-specifc CD4+ T cells produced both Th1 (IFN-gamma and IL-2)- and Th2 (IL-4, IL-5, IL-6)-type cytokines, while beta gal-specific CD4+ T cells secreted IFN-gamma and IL-6. This study provides direct evidence for the concomitant induction of Th2- with Th1-type responses in both the pulmonary systemic and mucosal immune compartments to the Ad5 vector as well as a Th1-dominant response to the transgene.

Adenoviridae↗

Recognition of neurokinin 1 receptor (NK1-R): an antibody to a peptide sequence from the third extracellular region binds to brain NK1-R.

Substance P (SP) can produce cytokine-like responses by astrocytes and mononuclear cells. In an effort to identify neurokinin-1-receptors (NK1-R), an antibody to NK1-R was generated by using a linear peptide sequence from the deduced third extracellular region (ECR) corresponding to the seven transmembrane rat brain NK1-R. The ECR-3 peptide was coupled to keyhole-limpet hemocyanin and the antisera produced in rabbits was purified by binding to a peptide-affinity matrix. The specificity for the anti-peptide antibody was shown by its reactivity to the ECR-3 peptide by ELISA. The anti-ECR-3 peptide antibody could detect, by Western blot analysis of SDS-PAGE-separated rat brain membranes, a single band with an apparent molecular weight (MW) of 53-54 kDa. An affinity matrix made from the anti-ECR-3 antibody was used to isolate NK1-R from rat brain membranes which exhibited two products on SDS-PAGE with apparent MW of 54 and 44 kDa. The C6 astrocytes were shown to express NK1-R as determined by [125I]Bolten-Hunter SP binding to intact cells with a Kd = 0.32 nM. These C6 cells did not co-express either NK2-R or NK3-R when analyzed at the mRNA level. The anti-ECR-3 peptide antibody could inhibit [125I]Bolten-Hunter SP binding to intact C6 astrocytes and CHO cells expressing NK1-R by greater than 95% when compared to normal rabbit IgG which failed to inhibit radiolabeled SP binding. Thus, an antibody which recognizes surface determinants to the NK1-R could be generated upon immunization with an NK1-R peptide.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Proteolytic fragmentation of channel catfish antibodies.

Specifically purified anti-DNP antibodies from channel catfish were digested with pepsin or trypsin under various conditions and the resultant fragments analyzed in terms of their physico- and immunochemical properties. The results indicated that pepsinolysis of channel catfish antibodies to small peptides was exceedingly rapid and failed to yield stable recognizable fragments under any conditions used. However, trypsinolysis was considerably more successful. In particular, tryptic digestion at 37 degrees C gave good yields of ligand binding material that undoubtedly represented Fab fragments. In addition, it was observed that limited trypsinolysis at 4 degrees C yielded somewhat larger Fab-like material, tentatively designated as Fab' fragments. Hence, it would appear that in spite of their previously reported peculiar covalent tetrameric structure, channel catfish antibodies do exhibit an intramolecular architecture or organization similar to that seen in more conventional polymeric antibodies from other species.

Animals↗

Characterization of anti-hapten antibodies generated in vitro by channel catfish peripheral blood lymphocytes.

Secondary in vitro stimulation of channel catfish peripheral blood lymphocytes with haptenated T-dependent antigen (TNP-KLH) elicited large numbers of hapten-specific Ab-producing cells and relatively high levels (10-96 micrograms/mL) of TNP-specific Ab in the culture medium. These in vitro generated Abs were compared to in vivo generated Abs from the serum of the same fish with respect to covalent structure, affinity, and isotypic composition of heavy and light chains. SDS-PAGE analysis under both reducing and nonreducing conditions revealed that the in vitro Abs were structurally similar to the serum Abs. Similarly, in vitro pulse-labeled Abs also exhibited the eight band profile characteristic of channel catfish serum Abs when run under nonreducing denaturing conditions. Scatchard analysis of equilibrium dialysis data revealed that the affinities of the culture- and serum-derived Abs were quite similar, that is, exhibited association constants of approximately 2.0 x 10(6) M-1. However, it was routinely observed that the in vitro generated Abs exhibited somewhat fewer binding sites per molecule than those derived from serum. The use of murine monoclonal Abs specifically for different isotypes of channel catfish heavy and light chains demonstrated that the isotypic composition of the culture- and serum-derived fish anti-TNP Abs were similar; exceptions occurred with cultures producing lower levels of Abs. These results strongly suggest that channel catfish in vitro Ab responses closely reflect what normally occurs in vivo.

Animals↗

Activation of channel catfish B cells by membrane immunoglobulin cross-linking.

This study demonstrates for the first time that teleost, specifically channel catfish, B cells proliferate in response to membrane immunoglobulin (mIgM) cross-linking. An early activation event mediated by anti-IgM ligation involved a rapid increase in intracellular calcium levels similar to the situation seen in mammalian B cells. In addition, catfish B cells, like mammalian B cells, did not exhibit such calcium changes following stimulation with lipopolysaccharide. Another consequence of catfish B cell mIgM cross linking was the rapid induction of intracellular protein phosphorylation. A number of proteins were phosphorylated on tyrosine residues within minutes after anti-Ig stimulation, indicating the activation of protein tyrosine kinases similar to the situation observed in mammalian B cells. These early intracellular activation events suggest that fish B cells, like mammalian B cells, employ a conserved signal transduction system upon mIgM ligation. This ability to transduce activation signals, coupled with the fact that catfish mIgM have a very short cytoplasmic tail, implies that catfish mIgM is probably associated with accessory molecules required for signal transduction. In this regard, several of the tyrosine phosphorylated catfish proteins exhibited relative molecular weights similar to the mammalian Ig-alpha and Ig-beta/gamma accessory molecules, and may represent candidates for the putative catfish mIgM accessory molecules.

Animals↗