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Biomedical subjects

G Tripodi

Publications and source records attributed to G Tripodi.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Genetics of renal damage in primary hypertension.

Little is known of the genetics of glomerular damage in essential hypertension in humans. The prevalence of end-stage renal disease due to primary hypertension varies from 20% to 30% of all cases of renal failure to as low as 0.002%. This depends not only on differences in diagnostic criteria but also on different racial susceptibility to the disease as well as on different genetic backgrounds in different subsets of individuals of the same race. A review of the literature is provided, together with an example of how a point mutation that causes hypertension in Milan hypertensive rats can provide a model to analyze this issue correctly.

Animals↗

Evidence of a natural killer (NK) cell repertoire for (allo) antigen recognition: definition of five distinct NK-determined allospecificities in humans.

Previous studies indicated that CD3-CD16+ natural killer (NK) cells are capable of specific alloantigen recognition. Thus, alloreactive NK clones lysed normal allogeneic target cells (phytohemagglutinin [PHA] blasts) bearing the stimulating alloantigen but did not lyse autologous cells or the majority of unrelated allogeneic cells. In this study we investigated whether NK cells isolated from single individuals could exhibit different allospecificities. To this end, we derived large numbers of CD3-CD16+ clones (in the presence of PHA) from fresh CD3- peripheral blood lymphocytes. Cloning efficiencies ranged between 5 and 10%. The resulting CD3-CD16+ clones were tested for their reactivity against a panel of allogeneic PHA blasts (derived from six donors). In a given individual (A), four distinct groups of clones could be identified according to their pattern of reactivity (over 400 clones have been analyzed). Clones that could be assigned to one or another group of specificity represented 36% of all clones derived from this donor. The remaining clones did not display cytolytic activity against any of the allogeneic target cells used in the panel. None of the clones lysed autologous (A) PHA blasts, yet, these cells were lysed by the representative clones G10 and H12 specific for donor A. Clones displaying a cytolytic pattern of reactivity identical to that defined for donor A were present in other individuals studied, however not all groups of allospecific clones were necessarily represented in different individuals. Allospecific clones belonging to the various groups were homogeneous in the expression of EB6/GL183-triggering surface molecules, and could thus be assigned to one or another of the previously defined subsets of NK cells. Genetic analysis of the new NK-defined alloantigens was performed in representative families. The corresponding characters were found to segregate independently and, at least for three of them, an autosomic recessive type of inheritance could be demonstrated. Moreover, the comparative analysis of the segregation of the major histocompatibility complex haplotypes and the recessive or dominant alleles of the genes governing the five specificities analyzed indicated that there is no independent sampling between the two genetic traits, thus suggesting that the genes regulating the NK-defined specificities are carried by chromosome 6. Finally, some donors expressed more than one specificity, thus providing evidence for an NK-defined complex haplotype.

Alleles↗

Novel surface molecules involved in human NK cell activation and triggering of the lytic machinery.

Three new monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) termed 7A6, PP35 and A6/143 were isolated after mouse immunization with CD3- CD16+ NK clones. The screening procedure was based on the ability of MAbs to trigger cytolytic activity of the immunizing clones in a re-directed killing assay against the P815 murine mastocytoma cell line. The 7A6 MAb reacts with 58 kDa surface molecules that appear to belong to the same molecular family defined by the previously described NK-sub-set-specific GL183 and EB6 MAbs. However, unlike from these MAbs, the 7A6 MAb reacted with (and activated) all CD3- NK lymphocytes, independent of their sub-set assignment (based on the expression or lack of expression of EB6, GL183 and CD16). The PP35 MAb reacted with a 70 kDa surface molecule expressed on all CD3- NK cells, as well as on TCR gamma/delta + cells and on a small sub-set of TCR alpha/beta + CD8+ lymphocytes. The PP35 MAb induced activation of essentially all NK cells, although clonal analysis revealed quantitative differences in the magnitude of the cytolytic responses elicited in different clones. Finally, the A6/143 MAb reacted with a molecule of 115 kDa expressed by all human PBL. Similarly to 7A6 and PP35 MAbs, the A6/143 MAb activated all sub-sets of cloned NK cells.

Animals↗

CD69-mediated pathway of lymphocyte activation: anti-CD69 monoclonal antibodies trigger the cytolytic activity of different lymphoid effector cells with the exception of cytolytic T lymphocytes expressing T cell receptor alpha/beta.

The effect of anti-CD69 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) on the induction of the cytolytic activity in different types of lymphoid effector cells has been investigated. Three anti-CD69 mAbs, including the reference mAb MLR3 and two new mAbs (c227 and 31C4), have been used. All cloned CD3-CD16+ natural killer (NK) cells belonging to different subsets (as defined by the surface expression of GL183 and/or EB6 antigens) were efficiently triggered by anti-CD69 mAbs and lysed P815 mastocytoma cells in a redirected killing assay. Triggering of the cytolytic activity could also be induced in CD3-CD16- NK clones, which fail to respond to other stimuli (including anti-CD16, anti-CD2 mAbs, or phytohemagglutinin). A similar triggering effect was detected in T cell receptor (TCR) gamma/delta+ clones belonging to different subsets. On the other hand, anti-CD69 mAbs could not induce triggering of the cytolytic activity in TCR alpha/beta+ cytolytic clones. Since all thymocytes are known to express CD69 antigen after cell activation, we analyzed a series of phenotypically different cytolytic thymocyte populations and clones for their responsiveness to anti-CD69 mAb in a redirected killing assay. Again, anti-CD69 mAb triggered TCR gamma/delta+ but not TCR alpha/beta+ thymocytes. Anti-CD69 mAb efficiently triggered the cytolytic activity of "early" thymocytes lines or clones (CD3-4-8-7+), which lack all other known pathways of cell activation. Thus, it appears that CD69 molecules may initiate a pathway of activation of cytolytic functions common to a number of activated effector lymphocytes with the remarkable exception of TCR alpha/beta+ cytolytic cells.

Animals↗

Molecular cloning of an adducin-like protein: evidence of a polymorphism in the normotensive and hypertensive rats of the Milan strain.

Differences genetically associated with the development of hypertension in a strain of genetically hypertensive rat (MHS) were described in ion transport across erythrocyte membranes compared to normotensive control (MNS). Antibodies against the MNS ghost proteins were raised in the MHS, producing an immunoreaction against a 105 KDa protein later identified as adducin. A clone coding for a portion of mouse adducin was isolated with these antibodies. Using this clone, overlapping cDNA clones coding for a 63 KDa adducin-like protein were isolated. A family of related mRNAs of about 3500, 3800, 4200 nt, was found to be present in spleen, kidney and heart tissues. Similar mRNAs and an additional tissue specific 8000 nt mRNA are present in brain. All mRNAs seem to be generated by alternative splicing from the transcript of a single gene. An interesting polymorphism, a Gln to Arg substitution, was detected in the carboxiterminal area of rat adducin 63.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Heritability estimate of erythrocyte Na-K-Cl cotransport in normotensive and hypertensive families.

Na-K-Cl cotransport was measured in 209 essential hypertensive patients (EH) and in 114 normotensive controls (NT). The distribution of Na-K-Cl cotransport was bimodal in EH and unimodal in NT. The EH with higher Na-K-Cl cotransport values had increased passive permeability to Na in fresh erythrocytes and increased Li-Na countertransport compared to NT. Li-Na countertransport was significantly increased in the EH as a whole, but the increase was accounted for by some EH individuals with elevated Na-K-Cl cotransport values. A simple biometric analysis of the Na-K-Cl cotransport was performed for 287 individuals of 86 families with different prevalence of hypertension (neither parent hypertensive, 39 families; one, 31 families; or both, 16 families). Na-K-Cl cotransport was not correlated between spouses, but was correlated highly significantly between the average value of the two parents (mid-parent) and offspring. The polygenic additive heritability (h2) was about 50% for all families considered together. It increased slightly for the hypertensive families analyzed alone (no significant correlation was found, and hence genetic heritability, in the normotensive families). Finally, after applying arbitrary cut-off points to the Na-K-Cl cotransport values, segregation analysis showed that some major gene, recessive for the high allele, also contributes to the phenotypic value of Na-K-Cl cotransport.

Alleles↗

Identification of four subsets of human CD3-CD16+ natural killer (NK) cells by the expression of clonally distributed functional surface molecules: correlation between subset assignment of NK clones and ability to mediate specific alloantigen recognition.

In previous studies we identified a surface molecule (termed GL183) capable of mediating cell activation and selectively expressed by a subset of human CD3-CD16+ natural killer (NK) cells. In this study we analyzed whether other subset-specific functional molecules were expressed in GL183- NK cells. To this end, mice were immunized with the PE29 (CD3-CD16+GL183-) NK clone. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were selected by screening the hybridoma supernatants for their ability to trigger the cytolytic activity of clone PE29 against the human myelomonocytic leukemia U937. The EB6 mAb (IgG1) triggered the PE29 clone, but not a GL183+ clone used as a control. EB6+ cells ranged between 1 and 13% of peripheral blood lymphocytes and were largely included in the CD3-CD16+CD56+ cell populations (only less than 2% of EB6+ cells were CD3+). Analysis of resting or activated CD3-CD16+ populations, or clones for the expression of EB6 or GL183 mAbs, allowed us to identify four distinct, phenotypically stable, NK subsets (EB6+GL183-; EB6+GL183+; EB6-GL183+; EB6-GL183-). Similar to GL183 mAb, the EB6 mAb selectively triggered the NK subset expressing the corresponding surface antigen to lyse human tumor cell lines including U937, IGROV-I, M14, and A549. In addition, EB6 mAb sharply inhibited the cytolytic activity of EB6+ clones against P815, M12, and P3U1 murine target cells. In EB6+GL183+ ("double-positive") clones both EB6 and GL183 mAb inhibited the redirected killing of P815 cells induced by anti-CD16, anti-CD2 mAbs and phytohemagglutinin (PHA). Similar to GL183 molecules, molecules precipitated by EB6 mAb were represented by either single 58-kD chain or double chains of 55 and 58 kD (with no detectable differences in EB6+GL183- or EB6+GL183+ clones). In sequential immunoprecipitation experiments using the double-positive clones CEG52 and CA25.50, preclearing of cell lysates with EB6 or GL183 mAb removed only EB6 or GL183 molecules, respectively, thus indicating that the two antigenic determinants are carried by two distinct molecules. Peptide map analysis indicated that EB6 (or GL183) molecules precipitated from double-positive clones were identical to the corresponding molecules isolated from single-positive ones. On the other hand, comparison of the EB6 and GL183 maps revealed peptides that were unique to each molecule, although most of the major peptides migrated to identical positions. We further investigated whether correlation existed between the phenotypic assignment of NK clones and their ability to mediate specific lysis of normal allogeneic cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗

A novel surface antigen expressed by a subset of human CD3- CD16+ natural killer cells. Role in cell activation and regulation of cytolytic function.

The GL183 mAb was obtained by immunizing BALB/c mice with the E57 clone (CD7+CD2+CD3-CD16+CD56+) derived from human peripheral blood NK cells. In human peripheral blood, GL183-reactive cells ranged between 2 and 12% (mean 6.5%) in 10 different donors. Double fluorescence and FACS analysis showed that GL183+ cells were consistently included in the CD56+ or CD16+ cell populations. Moreover, since only a fraction of CD56+ or CD16+ cells (approximately 40%) coexpressed GL183 surface antigen, reactivity with GL183 mAb appears to define two subsets within the CD3- lymphocyte population expressing NK cell markers. Although, the majority of GL183+ cells were CD3-, approximately 1% expressed CD3 surface antigens. As shown by clonal analysis, these infrequent CD3+GL183+ cells coexpressed CD56 and CD16 antigens. Cloning of CD3-GL183+ or CD3-GL183- cell populations under limiting dilution conditions yielded clonal progenies that maintained their original surface phenotype. Therefore, expression or lack of expression of GL183 surface antigens represents a stable phenotypic property of a subset of human CD3- NK cells. Immunoprecipitation experiments and two-dimensional PAGE analysis indicated that GL183-reactive molecules were represented in different clones either by a single 58-kD chain or, more frequently, by two chains of approximately 55 and approximately 58 kD, respectively. Analysis of GL183+ or GL183- NK clones for their ability to lyse human (IGROV I) or murine (P815) tumor target cells indicated that GL183- clones were, on average, fivefold more efficient in inducing target cell lysis. GL183+ and GL183- clones produced comparable levels of TNF-alpha in response to PHA plus PMA or anti-CD16 mAb plus PMA. Importantly, production of TNF-alpha was also induced by stimulation of GL183+ clones with GL183 mAb plus PMA. These data indicated that GL183 antigen could mediate cell triggering. This concept was confirmed by the analysis of Ca2+ mobilization, as GL183 mAb induced (in GL183+ clones) increments of [Ca2+]i comparable with those induced by PHA. Moreover, GL183 mAb, or its F(ab')2 fragments, strongly enhanced the cytolytic activity of GL183+ clones against a panel of human tumor target cells, including U937, Raji, IGROV I, M14, and A549. In contrast, GL183 mAb, but not the F(ab')2 fragments, sharply inhibited the cytolytic activity of the same clones against P815, M12, and P3U1 murine target cells. In this case, the effect of GL183 mAb (inhibition) was opposite that of PHA or of stimulatory anti-CD2 or anti-CD16 mAbs, which consistently enhanced the target cell lysis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗

Genetic aspects of ion transport systems in hypertension.

Environmental factors, genetic polymorphism and differences in experimental design have been the main impediments to evaluating the evidence for a genetic association between cell membrane cation transport abnormalities and human essential or genetic hypertension. The present paper reviews the results obtained in the Milan hypertensive rat (MHS) and in its corresponding normotensive strain (MNS) in order to illustrate our approach to defining the role of cation transport abnormality in a particular type of genetic hypertension. Kidney cross-transplantation between the strains showed that hypertension is transplanted along with the kidney. Proximal tubular cell volume and sodium content were lower in MHS rats while sodium transport across the brush border membrane vesicles of MHS rats was faster. Erythrocytes of MHS rats have a smaller volume, faster Na,K cotransport and a lower Km for internal sodium compared with MNS rats. The faster cotransport is also present in renal cells of the ascending limb and in vascular muscle cells. Moreover, these erythrocyte abnormalities are genetically associated in F2 hybrids and are primarily determined in the stem cells. These differences in ion transport between MHS and MNS rats are not present when studied in erythrocyte inside-out vesicles, which are deprived of membrane skeletal proteins, suggesting that a molecular abnormality underlies the functional one. We have identified a point mutation of one of these cytoskeletal membrane protein adducin genes in MHS rats. At present we are evaluating the possibility that mutation of the adducin gene in MHS rats might account for the differences in ion transport and, therefore, in blood pressure between the two strains.

Animals↗

Pathogenetic mechanisms in essential hypertension. Analogies between a rat model and the human disease.

Essential hypertension is a genetic disease. Its phenotypic expression depends on the interaction between genetic and environmental factors. In prehypertensive rats of the Milan hypertensive strain (MHS) a genetically inherited increase of tubular reabsorption was found, which causes the increase of blood pressure. Studies of ion transport systems in these rats have shown that the Na-K cotransport activity is increased both in erythrocytes and in tubular cells of MHS rats compared with their normotensive controls (MNS) and that this alteration is genetically linked to the transmission of high blood pressure levels. Also, in young human normotensives prone to develop essential hypertension there is an abnormal pattern of renal function which could be in agreement with a primitive increase in tubular reabsorption. Studies of erythrocyte ion transport systems in these subjects suggest that at least in a subgroup of humans predisposed to develop essential hypertension a pathogenetic mechanism similar to the one proposed for the MHS rat can be at work.

Animals↗

A possible primary role for the kidney in essential hypertension.

The role of the kidney in "essential" or "genetic" types of hypertension has been evaluated both in a rat model such as the Milan hypertensive strain (MHS) or in humans. In both species, abnormalities of renal function have been demonstrated before the development of hypertension. Moreover hypertension could be "transplanted" with the kidney when kidney cross-transplantation was carried out between MHS and the Milan normotensive strain (MNS). Also in humans, the familiality for hypertension of the donor affected the requirement of antihypertensive therapy of the recipient. Further studies furnished results that were consistent with the hypothesis that a primary increase in Na transport across the tubular cell could be responsible for the pressor effect of the kidney in MHS or in humans. Because many similarities were found between the function of the tubular cell and the red blood cell in MHS, red blood cells were used to gain information about the molecular genetic mechanisms underlying these cellular changes. The results so far obtained showed that red blood cell abnormalities in MHS were genetically determined within the stem cells and genetically associated with the development of hypertension in F2 hybrids obtained by crossing the F1 (MHS X MNS). Moreover, the abnormal Na transport across the cell membrane may be due to an abnormal function of the membrane skeleton proteins. Studies are in progress to evaluate a possible cause-effect relationship between: membrane skeleton protein-ion transport across the cell membrane and the development of hypertension.

Animals↗

Abnormal red-cell calcium pump in patients with idiopathic hypercalciuria.

Idiopathic hypercalciuria is a common disorder whose inheritance suggests an enzyme abnormality in calcium transport. We measured calcium-magnesium-ATPase activity in erythrocytes from 38 patients (mean age [+/- SEM], 40 +/- 2.1 years) with idiopathic hypercalciuria (24-hour urinary calcium excretion greater than or equal to 0.1 mmol per kilogram of body weight) and a history of multiple calcium oxalate kidney stones. As compared with 41 healthy controls, the patients with hypercalciuria had increased erythrocyte-membrane calcium-magnesium-ATPase activity (64.2 +/- 2.19 vs. 51.6 +/- 1.91 nmol of ATP split per milligram per minute; P less than 0.01) and increased sodium-potassium pump activity (6866 +/- 233 vs. 6096 +/- 228 mumol of sodium per liter of red cells per hour; P less than 0.05). No significant difference between the two groups was found in erythrocyte sodium-potassium cotransport, sodium-lithium countertransport, or potassium content. In 66 patients with kidney stones (38 with hypercalciuria and 28 with normal calcium excretion), 24-hour urinary calcium excretion correlated with calcium-magnesium-ATPase activity (r = 0.46, P less than 0.001). Erythrocyte calcium-magnesium-ATPase activity remained unchanged in eight subjects studied after four months on a low-calcium diet. A study of 30 healthy families found significant correlations between mean values in parents and those in offspring for calcium-magnesium-ATPase (r = 0.68, P less than 0.001) and urinary calcium excretion (r = 0.45, P less than 0.02), with no significant correlations between parents with respect to these measures (r = 0.27 and r = 0.08, respectively). We conclude that abnormalities in erythrocyte calcium-magnesium-ATPase activity may represent an inherited defect in calcium transport related to the cause of idiopathic hypercalciuria.

Adult↗

Antihypertensive effect of captopril, canrenoate potassium, and atenolol. Relations with red blood cell sodium transport and renin.

We compared the antihypertensive efficacy of atenolol (100 mg/d), canrenoate potassium (200 mg/d), and captopril (75 mg/d) in 30 essential hypertensives. The three drugs were administered in a randomized change-over sequence for four-months each. The main variables associated with blood pressure regulation were measured in the basal condition and at the end of each treatment period. The erythrocyte Na transport systems were measured only in the basal condition and at the end of the first treatment period. The average blood pressure reduction was similar for each drug. Mean blood pressure levels after captopril correlated positively with those after atenolol in the individual patients (P less than 0.0001); mean blood pressure levels after canrenoate potassium, on the contrary, did not correlate with those after the other two drugs. Captopril and canrenoate potassium treatment reduced intraerythrocyte Na content (P less than 0.02), canrenoate potassium increased Na-K pump (P0.05), atenolol did not change any erythrocyte membrane Na transport parameters. The ouabain-resistant Na transport systems were not modified by any drug. The patients were divided in three groups according to their antihypertensive response: nonresponders (six patients), canrenoate potassium responders (nine patients) and captopril-atenolol responders (15 patients, equally responsive to both drugs). Nonresponders had the lowest basal Na pump (P less than 0.02). Canrenoate potassium responders had higher basal Na-K cotransport than captopril-atenolol responders (P less than 0.02). Atenolol-captopril responders had the highest basal plasma renin activity (PRA, P less than 0.02). The blood pressure reduction after atenolol correlated with the induced fall in PRA (P less than 0.001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗