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G Tridente

Publications and source records attributed to G Tridente.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Oscillating growth patterns of multicellular tumour spheroids.

The growth kinetics of 9L (rat glioblastoma cell line) and U118 (human glioblastoma cell line) multicellular tumour spheroids (MTS) have been investigated by non-linear least square fitting of individual growth curves with the Gompertz growth equation and power spectrum analysis of residuals. Residuals were not randomly distributed around calculated growth trajectories. At least one main frequency was found for all analysed MTS growth curves, demonstrating the existence of time-dependent periodic fluctuations of MTS volume dimensions. Similar periodic oscillations of MTS volume dimensions were also observed for MTS generated using cloned 9L cells. However, we found significant differences in the growth kinetics of MTS obtained with cloned cells if compared to the growth kinetics of MTS obtained with polyclonal cells. Our findings demonstrate that the growth patterns of three-dimensional tumour cell cultures are more complex than has been previously predicted using traditional continuous growth models.

Animals↗

Thymocyte contact or monoclonal antibody-mediated clustering of 3beta1 or 6beta4 integrins activate interleukin-6 (IL-6) transcription factors (NF-kappaB and NF-IL6) and IL-6 production in human thymic epithelial cells.

T-cell precursors develop within the thymus in contact with multiple supportive elements, among which thymic epithelial cells (TEC) are known to exert a dominant role in their homing, survival, and functional differentiation. All these functions are supported by cell-cell contacts and cytokine release. Signaling events triggered in lymphoid cells by adhesion to TEC are well characterized, but little is known about the opposite phenomenon. To address this issue, we derived cultures of TEC from human normal thymus. TEC monolayers were cocultured with thymocytes and immunostained with monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) to integrin (2, 3, 4, and 6) and beta (beta1 and beta4) chains. Optical and confocal analysis showed that integrins were polarized on TEC at discrete surface locations: 6beta4 lined the basal surface of TEC monolayers, whereas 3beta1 was found mostly at TEC-TEC contacts; it is noteworthy that both 3beta1 and 6beta4 became highly enriched also at the boundaries with adherent thymocytes. Functional studies performed with MoAbs anti-beta1 and -beta4 integrins showed that beta1, and, to a much lower extent, beta4 heterodimers are involved in the TEC-thymocyte adhesion. Thymocyte contact or MoAb-mediated ligation of 3, 6, beta1, and beta4 integrins was investigated as a potential inducer of intracellular signaling in TEC. Thymocyte adhesion or cross-linking of MoAbs bound to integrins clustered at the TEC/thymocyte contact sites led to activation of interleukin-6 (IL-6) gene transcription factors, namely NF-IL6 serine phosphorylation and NF-kappaB nuclear targeting, as well as to increased IL-6 secretion. We propose that integrin clustering occurring during TEC-thymocyte contacts modulates in TEC the gene expression of a cytokine involved in thymocyte growth and functional differentiation.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

HTLV type IIIB infection of human thymic epithelial cells: viral expression correlates with the induction of NF-kappa B-binding activity in cells activated by cell adhesion.

Productive infection by the LAV strain has been demonstrated in T cell precursors at different stages of intrathymic development, while viral replication in thymic epithelial cells is still controversial. In this article we show that epithelial cell cultures derived from the medullary component of normal thymus are infectable by HTLV-IIIB virus through cell-free and lymphoid-mediated transmission. Free virus inoculum results in the integration of proviral copies undergoing poor replication, whereas lymphoid-mediated transmission leads to substantial viral expression and the production of viral progeny able to secondary infect lymphoid cells. Interleukin 6 production and phenotype changes (increased expression of MHC class I and ICAM-1) were induced in TE cells by contact with free virus or by adhesion to infected lymphoid cells. By contrast, NF-kappa B-binding activity on the HIV-1 LTR kappa B enhancer element was upregulated only by contact with infected lymphoid cells, but not with virus. The viral replication observed in TE cells after lymphoid-mediated transmission correlates with the upregulation of NF-kappa B-binding activity. Interleukin 6 increased production and phenotype changes and increased NF-kappa B-binding activity were also induced by adhesion to uninfected lymphoid cells, demonstrating that lymphoepithelial cell contacts can activate TE cells. These results demonstrate that thymic epithelial cells are permissive to HIV infection and that viral replication in this cell lineage can be modulated by intracellular signals delivered by adhesive contacts.

Cell Adhesion↗

Selective association of a 22-38 kDa glycoprotein with MHC class II DP antigen on activated human lymphocytes at the plasma membrane.

Two-dimensional electrophoretic analysis (2D-PAGE) of cell surface human DP and DR class II antigens identified a glycoprotein, designated pX, that is associated at the cell surface with DP but not DR class II antigen in activated T, B and NK lymphocytes but not in resting B lymphocytes, Raji B lymphoma cells, activated thymic epithelial cells or activated monocytes. pX is a heavily glycosylated protein with an apparent molecular mass spanning between 38 kDa and 22 kDa, that is reduced, after deglycosylation with Endo-F, to 22 kDa. The pX structure appears nonpolymorphic and independent of DP polymorphism, as suggested by 2D-PAGE migrational pattern of 125I-labelled Endo-F deglycosylated DP immunoprecipitates from T cells blasts derived from four donors with different DP allotypes. The apparent absence of polymorphism of pX is further suggested by two-dimensional peptide mapping of a single spot derived from 2D-PAGE of 125I-labelled DP deglycosylated immunoprecipitates from two donors.

B-Lymphocytes↗

Study of platelet adhesion in patients with uncomplicated hypertension.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate platelet function in patients with essential hypertension by sensitive methods investigating platelet adhesion and expression of some platelet glycoproteins (GP), namely GPIIb/IIIa (CD41/alpha 2 beta 3) and GMP-140 (CD62/P-selectin/PADGEM). Other markers of platelet (beta-thromboglobulin) and endothelium activation (von Willebrand factor) were also measured. METHODS: We studied 21 uncomplicated essential hypertensive patients and 20 healthy normotensive control subjects, non-smokers, matched for age and sex. Resting and stimulated platelet adhesion was performed with a colorimetric method using the activity of platelet acid phosphatase for the determination of the number of platelets adhering to human plasma- or fibrinogen-coated microwells. Platelet activation was characterized by flow cytometric measurement of GPIIb/IIIa and GMP-140 in whole blood and washed platelets suspensions, with antihuman fluorescent monoclonal antibodies. RESULTS: Thrombin-stimulated platelet adhesion to human plasma-coated microwells was significantly higher in hypertensive patients than in control subjects (0.05 U/ml thrombin: 13.4 +/- 1.0 versus 7.7 +/- 0.6% adhesion; 0.1 U/ml thrombin: 19.4 +/- 2.3 versus 12.6 +/- 1.8%; means +/- SEM), whereas platelet adhesion to fibrinogen-coated wells did not differ in the two groups. Flow-cytometry analysis of whole blood demonstrated a significantly increased expression of GMP-140 in hypertensive patients compared with normal subjects (percentage of CD62+ platelets: 7.3 +/- 1.2 versus 3.7 +/- 1; means +/- SEM), whereas the expression of GPIIb/IIIa did not differ in the two groups (percentage of CD41a+ platelets: 72.5 +/- 4.5 versus 70.4 +/- 3.9). Moreover, flow cytometry showed an increased size of platelets in hypertensive patients compared with that in control subjects (forwards scattering: 46.5 +/- 1.5 versus 38.9 +/- 1.1; means +/- SEM). Flow-cytometric evaluation of washed platelet suspensions showed no statistically significant differences between the expression of GMP-140 and GPIIb/IIIa in the two groups. beta-Thrombo-globulin plasma levels were higher in hypertensive patients than they were in normal subjects (36.3 +/- 2.0 versus 28.2 +/- 1.3 ng/ml; means +/- SEM). Von Willebrand factor plasma levels were not significantly different in the two groups (101.2 +/- 10.3 versus 86.3 +/- 5.6 U/dl). CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide further evidence that there is a significant, albeit weak, platelet activation in hypertensive patients compared with normal subjects.

Adult↗

Self-potentiation of ligand-toxin conjugates containing ricin A chain fused with viral structures.

A chimeric protein was obtained by fusing together the ricin toxin A chain (RTA) gene and a DNA fragment encoding the N terminus of protein G of the vesicular stomatitis virus. Chimeric RTA (cRTA) retained full enzymic activity in a cell-free assay, but was 10-fold less toxic against human leukemic cells than either native RTA (nRTA) or unmodified recombinant RTA (rRTA). However, conjugates made with cRTA and human transferrin (Tfn) showed 10-20-fold greater cell killing efficacy than Tfn-nRTA or Tfn-rRTA conjugates despite equivalent binding of the three conjugates to target tumor cells. As a consequence, by fusion of the KFT25 peptide to the RTA sequence, the specificity factor (i.e. the ratio between nonspecific and specific cytotoxicity) of Tfn-cRTA was increased 90-240 times with respect to those of Tfn-nRTA and Tfn-rRTA. cRTA interacted with phospholipid vesicles with 15-fold faster kinetics than nRTA at acidic pH. Taken together, our results suggest that the ability of vesicular stomatitis virus protein G to interact with cell membranes can be transferred to RTA to facilitate its translocation to the cell cytosol. Our strategy may serve as a general approach for potentiating the cytotoxic efficacy of antitumor immunotoxins.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Escape mechanisms of human leukemic cells to long-term immunotoxin treatment in an in vitro experimental model.

In kinetic assays, an anti-CD5-ricin A chain (ST.I-RTA) immunoconjugate (immunotoxins, IT) specifically inhibited up to 40% the protein synthesis of Jurkat target cells within the first 40 hr. Longer exposures of leukemia cells to ST.I-RTA resulted in a progressively higher number of target cells escaping IT treatment and becoming resistant to further treatment with ST.I-RTA even in the presence of the RTA-IT enhancer monensin. Resistant Jurkat cells proliferated at the same rate as control untreated cells, and were as sensitive as control cells to a transferrin-RTA IT, indicating that the ST.I-RTA-resistant tumor-cell population did not become insensitive to the enzymatic activity of RTA. Binding studies revealed that the anti-CD5 IT treatment induced a transient modulation of CD5 antigens but not of the functionally related CD3 antigens. The CD5 antigens were re-expressed at the cell surface following removal of the IT molecules from the culture medium with 1.1% of the total CD5 Ag being re-expressed per hr. When our experimental data on the kinetics of cell intoxication by the IT were corrected for the proliferative potential of the resistant and of the sensitive tumor-cell populations, it appeared that the effect of ST.I-RTA treatment on Jurkat cells was only to delay cell growth for a limited time period (20 hr) without reducing effectively the tumor-cell burden. Our results may have implications for the long-term treatment of target tumor cells with IT.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Immunological reactivity in ranitidine factory workers.

The involvement of immunological reactivity to ranitidine base (R-b) and ranitidine hydrochloride (R-HCl) in the development of occupationally related symptomatology was analyzed in 40 subjects employed in a pharmaceutical plant producing ranitidine and in 33 nonexposed controls, using a specific dose-response lymphocyte proliferative test (lymphocyte transformation test: LTT). Of the 40 workers, 11 (28%) gave positive reactions to LTT: 3/11 to R-b, 4/11 to R-HCl, and 4/11 to both compounds. None of the controls gave positive reactions. Cutaneous, oculonasal, or respiratory work-related symptoms were cited by 23 of the 40 (58%) subjects; ten of these 23 subjects (43%) were LTT positive. One asymptomatic case was LTT positive. The present results indicate that specific immune reactivity to ranitidine, analyzed by LTT, is associated with the presence of occupational symptomatology; R-HCl and R-b seem to share some antigenic determinants, because of the partial cross-reactivity shown by the examined compounds. Nonimmunological, probably irritative, mechanisms are also present in some of the symptomatic subjects.

Eye Diseases↗

Heterogeneous response of individual multicellular tumour spheroids to immunotoxins and ricin toxin.

The cytoreductive effects of anti-transferrin receptor (anti-TfnR) immunotoxins (ITs) and of ricin toxin against tumour micromasses have been evaluated in a multicellular tumour spheroid (MTS) model. More than 600 (656) MTSs obtained with human breast carcinoma (MCF7) or rat glioblastoma (9L) cell lines were treated individually with ITs or toxin and the effects induced by the treatment were measured for each MTS as volume variation vs time by applying the Gompertz growth model. Two dose-dependent patterns of MTS growth were observed in MTSs of both cell lines in response to IT or toxin treatment: (1) complete inhibition of MTS growth ('sterilisation'); and (2) partial/complete inhibition ('heterogeneous response'). Within the range of IT or toxin concentrations resulting in partial inhibition of MTS growth, the sensitivity of treated MTSs was extremely heterogeneous (the cytoreductive effects varying between 0.1 and 4 logs of cells killed for a given IT or toxin concentration). Analysis of the post-treatment regrowth kinetics indicated that treated non-sterilised and control MTSs reached the same final limiting volumes. However, the doubling time estimated for the surviving cells of treated MCF7 and 9L MTSs ranged between 15 and 50 h, indicating that each MTS had individual growing potential. In conclusion, our results indicate that at substerilising IT concentrations individual heterogenicity of MTSs may greatly influence the cytoreductive potential of ITs. An implication of our study is that the efficacy of an IT treatment in eradicating disseminated micrometastases may not be predictable a priori. The MTS model that we describe in this paper may help in dissecting out factors limiting the effect of ITs in three-dimensional tumours.

Animals↗

HIV-1 spreads from lymphocytes to normal human keratinocytes suitable for autologous and allogenic transplantation.

Normal human keratinocytes can reconstitute in vitro cohesive sheets of epithelium suitable for grafting onto patients. Despite the widespread use of autografts and allografts, no data are yet available on productive infection by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) of human keratinocytes. To address this point, we challenged keratinocytes at the second passage of culture with HTLV-IIIB virus by cell-free and cell-mediated inoculum. Viral entry was not achieved by cell-free inoculum, thus demonstrating that cultured keratinocytes do not provide the membrane requirements for viral binding and/or internalization. By contrast, the cell-mediated inoculum overcame specific receptor constraints, leading to viral integration and productive infection. The p24gag viral protein was transiently released in the culture supernatant, although at low level. The viral progeny produced by infected keratinocytes was rescued and amplified by co-culture experiments performed with the HIV-1 high sensitive CEM-SS human T-cell line. Viral integration, p24gag production, and secondary transmission to lymphoid cells was further confirmed with keratinocytes infected at the fourth passage of culture. Taken together, our results demonstrate that cultured keratinocytes can be infected by HTLV-IIIB virus, which can be maintained in semi-latent form for several passages after inoculum and rescued to full replication by a proper target. The in vitro demonstration of lympho-epithelial HIV-1 spreadings warns against the use of inappropriately screened biopsies for the preparation of skin grafts.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Cytoreductive effects of anti-transferrin receptor immunotoxin in a multicellular tumor spheroid model.

We have evaluated the sensitivity to immunotoxins (IT) of monolayer and of 200-250 microns multicellular tumor spheroid (MTS) cultures obtained with human breast (MCF7) and glioblastoma (U118) tumor cells and with rat glioblastoma (9L) cells. Monolayer MCF7 and U118 cells were highly sensitive to antitransferrin receptor (anti-TfnR) ricin A chain (RTA)-IT (Tfn-RTA and MAb OKT9-RTA) treatment in the presence of the intracellular RTA-IT enhancing agent human serum albumin-monensin (HSA-Mo) conjugate. A 790- to 2000-fold higher concentration of anti-TfnR IT was instead required to reduce by 50% the volume of individually treated MCF7 spheroids, as evaluated by applying the Gompertz growth model. Monolayer 9L cells showed 230- to 5700-fold lower sensitivity to Tfn-RTA IT than MCF7 and U118 monolayers, yet 9L spheroid cells were almost as sensitive to anti-TfnR IT as monolayer 9L cultures. Binding studies performed with [125I]-Tfn and FITC-labelled anti-TfnR MAb revealed that 9L monolayers and MTS expressed 4.1-fold and 8.8-fold lower amounts of TfnR than MCF7 monolayers and MTS, respectively. However, Tfn bound to TfnR sites of 9L and of MCF7 cells with comparable affinity. Experiments carried out with the diphtheria toxin mutant CRM107 linked to Tfn confirmed the pattern observed with RTA-IT. Monolayers and spheroids showed no considerable differences in sensitivity to ricin toxin. Collectively, these results indicated that the efficacy of IT against 3-D tumors is heavily influenced by the number of target Ag expressed by the tumor cells, as well as by the affinity of IT/toxin-cell interaction.

Animals↗

Sensitivity of human leukemia cells in exponential or stationary growth phase to anti-CD5 immunotoxins. Role of intracellular processing events.

We have assayed the sensitivity of Jurkat cells in different growth phases to an anti-CD5-ricin A chain (ST.1-RTA) immunotoxins (IT). Jurkat cells proliferated exponentially until a stationary growth phase was reached. Proliferating and stationary cells displayed marked differences in sensitivity to ST.1-RTA treatment; the time required to kill one log of target cells (T10) was 70 h in proliferating and 12 h in stationary cells, respectively. Differences in sensitivity to IT treatment were greatly diminished by the addition of the IT enhancer monensin (T10 = 4.9 and 3.5 h in proliferating and stationary cells, respectively). Binding and internalization studies carried out with fluoresceinated ST.1 mAb revealed that the higher sensitivity of stationary cells to ST.1-RTA treatment was not due to an increased uptake or to faster internalization kinetics of IT molecules in this cell population; rather, our data indicated that a different intracellular routing of IT molecules took place in the two cell populations. Mathematical modeling of experimental data allowed us to calculate the efficiency of the intracellular transport of IT molecules toward a subcellular compartment facilitating toxin translocation to the cell cytosol. The IT intracellular processing in stationary cells was 5.5-fold more efficient than in proliferating cells. This value strictly correlated with the higher sensitivity of the stationary cell population to ST.1-RTA treatment.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Mechanisms involved in serum-dependent inactivation of the immunotoxin enhancers monensin and carrier-protein-monensin.

The immunotoxin-enhancing properties of monensin and of human-serum-albumin-monensin conjugates are severely impaired in the presence of human serum. In this study we have therefore investigated the interaction between serum proteins and monensin leading to the inactivation of monensin function as immunotoxin potentiator. We found that the binding of monensin-specific mAb to thioether-cross-linked or disulfide-cross-linked protein-monensin conjugates is negatively affected by serum, as indicated by immunoenzymic (ELISA) and radioimmunobinding analysis. Size-exclusion chromatography of serum samples indicated that the greatest blocking effect is due to protein components of 40-90 kDa eluting as a broad peak (peak 4). Analysis of the proteins contained within peak 4 by ion-exchange chromatography followed by microsequencing revealed that the major components of peak no. 4 were transferrin, human serum albumin and immunoglobulin fragments. Investigations on the nature of the interactions between serum proteins and monensin leading to monensin inactivation were conducted by affinity chromatography of serum on immobilized human-serum-albumin-monensin conjugates, size-exclusion chromatography, SDS/PAGE analysis of serum-treated human-serum-albumin-monensin conjugates, and evaluation of the stability of immobilized human-serum-albumin-bound 125I-monensin following treatment with serum. Addition of esterase inhibitors (e.g. EDTA, 4-nitrophenyl phosphate) or prior treatment of the serum at 56 degrees C partially reversed the serum effects observed. We conclude that serum proteins block the immunotoxin-enhancing effect of monensin and of human-serum-albumin-monensin conjugates by multiple mechanisms involving hydrophobic and covalent interactions and enzyme-mediated cleavage of protein-bound monensin.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Evidence for a trans-acting activator function regulating the expression of the human CD5 antigen.

Interspecies somatic cell hybrids were generated by fusing the mouse T-lymphoma cell line, BW5147, with normal human T lymphocytes at different stages of differentiation. Thymocytes, activated peripheral T lymphocytes, or an activated T-cell clone were used as human partners, respectively, in three independent fusions. Irrespective of the human cell partner used for fusion, a certain number of hybrids lost CD5 surface expression over a period of time in culture. Analysis at the phenotype and genetic level showed that lack of CD5 expression was due neither to segregation of human autosome 11, on which the CD5 gene has been mapped, nor to deletion of the CD5 structural gene. Furthermore, loss of CD5 surface expression correlated with the absence of specific mRNA. Since these hybrids preferentially segregate human chromosomes, these results indicate the existence of a non-syntenic trans-active locus, or loci, positively controlling the expression of the human CD5 gene.

Animals↗

Physiologic target of the Air-1 trans-activator revealed by stable transfection assay.

RJ 2.2.5 is a human B cell mutant, derived from Raji cells, which has lost expression of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II genes because of a defect in the AIR1 locus function. The MHC class II-positive phenotype can be restored by introducing an active AIR1 locus or its mouse equivalent, Air-1. An example of the latter is the H4 cell hybrid, derived by somatic cell fusion between RJ 2.2.5 and mouse class II-positive spleen cells. H4 contains a single mouse chromosome, autosome 16, in which the Air-1 locus maps, and an entire RJ 2.2.5-derived genome. In the present study we show that the physiologic target of the Air-1 locus product is contained within a limited HLA-DRA promoter sequence of 300 base pairs, encompassing the crucial Y, X, and W cis-acting elements. A plasmid construct, pDRA300neo, containing the HLA-DRA promoter sequence which drives the expression of the neomycin resistance gene, has been stably integrated in the genome of the H4 hybrid. Transfectants selected in the presence of G418 retain mouse chromosome 16 and express the DR genes. On the other hand, transfectants grown in a non-selective medium segregate mouse chromosome 16; this is accompanied by a loss of DRA gene expression and G418 resistance, although pDRA300neo is still integrated in the genome. These results offer scope for using this experimental model to clone the Air-1 gene in a straightforward way.

Blotting, Northern↗

Comparison of four in vitro assays for specific IgE detection.

Three immunoenzymatic techniques for specific IgE detection (Pharmacia CAP System, Kallestad Allercoat System, Neo Abellò Hamlet-IgE) and the classical Phadebas RAST were compared using 34 sera from patients with a clinical diagnosis of allergic disease and 19 sera from healthy non-atopic controls. IgE antibodies to 9 aeroallergens and 6 food antigens were assessed and 399 tests were run with each method. All techniques showed a high specificity (92%-100%) and satisfactory efficiency (82%-98%), while the sensitivity for RAST, CAP, Allercoat and Hamlet was 89%, 91%, 83% and 53%, respectively, with the lowest values for food allergens. There was a good overall correlation of the four techniques, except when the Hamlet method was compared with the other methods for food-specific IgE detection (correlation coefficient < 0.3). These data indicate that CAP, Allercoat and RAST are satisfactory techniques for specific IgE determination, either for inhalants or for food allergens; CAP, however, offers the highest sensitivity without loss of specificity.

Adolescent↗

The complex interplay of the DQB1 and DQA1 loci in the generation of the susceptible and protective phenotype for insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

IDDM patients of North East Italian region were molecularly typed for their HLA-DQB1 and DQA1 loci by using allele specific oligonucleotide probes and PCR amplified genomic DNA. IDDM status strongly correlated with DQB1 alleles carrying a non-aspartic acid residue in position 57 of DQ beta chain and DQA1 alleles with an arginine residue in position 52 of DQ alpha chain. Genotype analysis revealed that individuals with two DQB1 alleles having a non-aspartic residue in position 57 and two DQA1 alleles with an arginine residue in position 52 had the highest relative risk of disease: they constituted 41% of IDDM patients as compared to 0% of controls. Heterozygosity either at residue 57 of DQB1 or residue 52 of DQA1 was sufficient to abrogate statistical significance for disease association, although 43.6% of IDDM patients were included in these two groups as compared to 21.6% of normal controls. On the other hand the presence of two DQB1 alleles with aspartic acid in position 57 was sufficient to confer resistance to disease irrespective of the DQA1 genotype. Based on the number of possible susceptible heterodimers an individual can form, it was found that 85% of IDDM cases could form two or more heterodimers (two in cis and two in trans), but no IDDM case was found to form one susceptible heterodimer in cis. These results demonstrate that the complete HLA-DQ genotype, more than single DQB1 or DQA1 alleles or DQB1-DQA1 haplotypes, is associated with the highest risk of disease. Screening of the population for preventive purposes and/or early signs of IDDM should then take advantage of this result and "susceptible homozygous" individuals should be followed very closely and considered the first group of choice for possible new therapeutical trials.

Alleles↗