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Biomedical subjects

J C Gutierrez-Ramos

Publications and source records attributed to J C Gutierrez-Ramos.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1998

The chemotactic cytokine eotaxin acts as a granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor during lung inflammation.

During inflammatory processes, inflamed tissues signal the bone marrow (BM) to produce more mature leukocytes in ways that are not yet understood. We report here that, during the development of lung allergic inflammation, the administration of neutralizing antibodies to the chemotactic cytokine, Eotaxin, prevented the increase in the number of myeloid progenitors produced in the BM, therefore reducing the output of mature myeloid cells from BM. Conversely, the in vivo administration of Eotaxin increased the number of myeloid progenitors present in the BM. Furthermore, we found that, in vitro, Eotaxin is a colony-stimulating factor for granulocytes and macrophages. Eotaxin activity synergized with stem cell factor but not with interleukin-3 or granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and was inhibited by pertussis toxin. We report also that CCR-3, the receptor for Eotaxin, was expressed by hematopoietic progenitors (HP). Thus, during inflammation, Eotaxin acts in a paracrine way to shift the differentiation of BM HP towards the myeloid lineage.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

ICAM-1 dependent pathway is not involved in the development of neuronal apoptosis after transient focal cerebral ischemia.

We examined brain sections from ICAM-1 deficient mice (-/-) and their nontransgenic littermates (+/+) after focal cerebral ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) for the presence of apoptosis. Despite the reduction in necrosis, the -/- mice had apoptotic cells in the ischemic hemisphere as shown by terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end-labeling (TUNEL) staining and DNA laddering. ICAM-1 deficiency minimizes necrosis but not apoptosis after temporary MCAO in mice, thereby leaving the potential for delayed neuronal cell death despite ICAM-1 inactivation.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Identification of distinct elements of the stromal microenvironment that control human hematopoietic stem/progenitor cell growth and differentiation.

Using a novel collection of conditionally immortalized mouse stromal cell clones, we evaluated the role of distinct elements of the hematopoietic microenvironment in supporting and regulating the growth, division, and differentiation of a candidate human stem cell population (CD34+/CD38-). We found functional diversity in the capacity of different stromal cell clones to support the growth of primitive (CD34+/CD38-) and committed (CD34+/CD38+) hematopoietic progenitors and their differentiation into mature hematopoietic cells (CD34-/CD45+). Among the stromal cell clones that supported long-term hematopoiesis, we identified two clones that induced expansion of CD34+ progenitor/stem cells during the first 4 weeks of coculture and that supported the maintenance of this CD34+ population for up to 10 weeks in vitro. However, these two clones appeared to represent two different microenvironments with regard to the signals they provide to the different CD34+ progenitor subpopulations: One stromal clone preserved a pool of undifferentiated, relatively quiescent (CD34+/CD38-) progenitor cells, allowing their differentiation at a low rate into more committed (CD34+/CD38+) progenitors; the other fostered a more extensive and rapid differentiation of all CD34+/CD38- progenitors into CD34+/CD38+ cells, preferentially maintaining this committed population at a higher rate of cell division. These stromal cell clones were also able to support the proliferation and differentiation of CD34+/CD38- cells in conditions in which progenitor-stroma contact was prevented. This collection of stromal cell clones may represent a unique tool for the study of stromal regulators of hematopoiesis as well as for the support of gene transfer into hematopoietic progenitor cells.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

A role for Mac-1 (CDIIb/CD18) in immune complex-stimulated neutrophil function in vivo: Mac-1 deficiency abrogates sustained Fcgamma receptor-dependent neutrophil adhesion and complement-dependent proteinuria in acute glomerulonephritis.

Mac-1 (alphambeta2), a leukocyte adhesion receptor, has been shown in vitro to functionally interact with Fcgamma receptors to facilitate immune complex (IC)-stimulated polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN) functions. To investigate the relevance of Mac-1-FcgammaR interactions in IC-mediated injury in vivo, we induced a model of Fc-dependent anti-glomerular basement membrane (GBM) nephritis in wild-type and Mac-1-deficient mice by the intravenous injection of anti-GBM antibody. The initial glomerular PMN accumulation was equivalent in Mac-1 null and wild-type mice, but thereafter increased in wild-type and decreased in mutant mice. The absence of Mac-1 interactions with obvious ligands, intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), and C3 complement, is not responsible for the decrease in neutrophil accumulation in Mac-1- deficient mice since glomerular PMN accumulation in mice deficient in these ligands was comparable to those in wild-type mice. In vitro studies showed that spreading of Mac-1-null PMNs to IC-coated dishes was equivalent to that of wild-type PMNs at 5-12 min but was markedly reduced thereafter, and was associated with an inability of mutant neutrophils to redistribute filamentous actin. This suggests that in vivo, Mac-1 is not required for the initiation of Fc-mediated PMN recruitment but that Mac-1-FcgammaR interactions are required for filamentous actin reorganization leading to sustained PMN adhesion, and this represents the first demonstration of the relevance of Mac-1-FcgammaR interactions in vivo. PMN-dependent proteinuria, maximal in wild-type mice at 8 h, was absent in Mac-1 mutant mice at all time points. Complement C3-deficient mice also had significantly decreased proteinuria compared to wild-type mice. Since Mac-1 on PMNs is the principal ligand for ic3b, an absence of Mac-1 interaction with C3 probably contributed to the abrogation of proteinuria in Mac-1-null mice.

Actins↗
PubMed1997

Impaired CD19 expression and signaling, enhanced antibody response to type II T independent antigen and reduction of B-1 cells in CD81-deficient mice.

The tetraspanin CD81 is ubiquitously expressed and associated with CD19 on B lymphocytes and with CD4 and CD8 on T lymphocytes. Analysis of mice with disrupted CD81 gene reveals normal T cells but a distinct abnormality in B cells consisting of decreased expression of CD19 and severe reduction in peritoneal B-1 cells. CD81-deficient B cells responded normally to surface IgM crosslinking, but had severely impaired calcium influx following CD19 engagement. CD81-deficient mice had increased serum IgM and IgA and an exaggerated antibody response to the type II T independent antigen TNP-Ficoll. These results suggest that CD81 is important for CD19 signaling and B cell function.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

CD44 regulates hematopoietic progenitor distribution, granuloma formation, and tumorigenicity.

CD44 is expressed in various isoforms on numerous cell types and tissues during embryogenesis and in the mature organism. CD44 may also be involved in tumor growth. To study the multiple roles of CD44, we abolished expression of all known isoforms of CD44 in mice by targeting exons encoding the invariant N-terminus region of the molecule. Surprisingly, mice were born in Mendelian ratio without any obvious developmental or neurological deficits. Hematological impairment was evidenced by altered tissue distribution of myeloid progenitors with increased levels of colony-forming unit-granulocyte-macrophage (CFU-GM) in bone marrow and reduced numbers of CFU-GM in spleen. Fetal liver colony-forming unit-spleen and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor mobilization assays, together with reduced CFU-GM in peripheral blood, suggested that progenitor egress from bone marrow was defective. In what was either a compensatory response to CD44 deficiency or an immunoregulatory defect, mice also developed exaggerated granuloma responses to Cryotosporidium parvum infection. Finally, tumor studies showed that SV40-transformed CD44-deficient fibroblasts were highly tumorigenic in nude mice, whereas reintroduction of CD44s expression into these fibroblasts resulted in a dramatic inhibition of tumor growth.

Alternative Splicing↗
PubMed1997

Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 deficiency prolongs survival and protects against the development of pulmonary inflammation during murine lupus.

One of the characteristic features of the lupus syndrome in humans and mice is the organ-specific accumulation of leukocytes within a variety of different tissues; however, the etiology of this phenomenon remains unclear. The work presented here determined the role of intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1 in the development of pulmonary leukocyte accumulation by generating MRL/MpJ-Faslpr mice that are genetically deficient in this critical adhesion molecule. Interestingly, these MRL/MpJ-Faslpr ICAM-1 knockout mice exhibit prolonged survival times compared to littermates expressing ICAM-1. We have determined that lack of ICAM-1 completely abrogates the development of pulmonary inflammation but does not prevent the development of autoantibodies, lymphadenopathy, and glomerulonephritis. Furthermore, the lack of pulmonary inflammation was found to be due to decreased migration of leukocytes to the lung rather than decreased in situ proliferation of cells.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

A new class of obesity genes encodes leukocyte adhesion receptors.

Obesity is a complex disease, and multiple genes contribute to the trait. The description of five genes (ob, db, tub, Ay, and fat) responsible for distinct syndromes of spontaneous monogenic obesity in mice has advanced our knowledge of the genetics of obesity. However, many other genes involved in the expression of this disease remain to be determined. We report here the identification of an additional class of genes involved in the regulation of adipose tissue mass. These genes encode receptors mediating leukocyte adhesion. Mice deficient in intercellular adhesion molecule-1 became spontaneously obese in old age on normal mouse chow or at a young age when provided with a diet rich in fat. Mice deficient in the counterreceptor for intercellular adhesion molecule-1, the leukocyte integrin alphaMbeta2 (Mac-1), showed a similar obesity phenotype. Since all mice consumed approximately the same amount of food as controls, the leukocyte function appears to be in regulating lipid metabolism and/or energy expenditure. Our results indicate that (i) leukocytes play a role in preventing excess body fat deposition and (ii) defects in leukocyte adhesion receptors can result in obesity.

Aging↗
PubMed1997

Neurotactin, a membrane-anchored chemokine upregulated in brain inflammation.

Chemokines are small secreted proteins that stimulate the directional migration of leukocytes and mediate inflammation. During screening of a murine choroid plexus complementary DNA library, we identified a new chemokine, designated neurotactin. Unlike other chemokines, neurotactin has a unique cysteine pattern, Cys-X-X-X-Cys, and is predicted to be a type 1 membrane protein. Full-length recombinant neurotactin is localized on the surface of transfected 293 cells. Recombinant neurotactin containing the chemokine domain is chemotactic for neutrophils both in vitro and in vivo. Neurotactin messenger RNA is predominantly expressed in normal murine brain and its protein expression in activated brain microglia is upregulated in mice with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, as well as in mice treated with lipopolysaccharide. Distinct from all other chemokine genes, the neurotactin gene is localized to human chromosome 16q. Consequently we propose that neurotactin represents a new delta-chemokine family and that it may play a role in brain inflammation processes.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

RANTES and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) play an important role in the inflammatory phase of crescentic nephritis, but only MCP-1 is involved in crescent formation and interstitial fibrosis.

The involvement of chemokines in inflammation is well established, but their functional role in disease progression, and particularly in the development of fibrosis, is not yet understood. To investigate the functional role that the chemokines monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and RANTES play in inflammation and the progression to fibrosis during crescentic nephritis we have developed and characterized a murine model for this syndrome. Significant increases in T-lymphocytes and macrophages were observed within glomeruli and interstitium, paralleled by an induction of mRNA expression of MCP-1 and RANTES, early after disease initiation. Blocking the function of MCP-1 or RANTES resulted in significant decreases in proteinuria as well as in numbers of infiltrating leukocytes, indicating that both MCP-1 and RANTES (regulated upon activation in normal T cells expressed and secreted) play an important role in the inflammatory phase of crescentic nephritis. In addition, neutralization of MCP-1 resulted in a dramatic decrease in both glomerular crescent formation and deposition of type I collagen. These results highlight a novel role for MCP-1 in crescent formation and development of interstitial fibrosis, and indicate that in addition to recruiting inflammatory cells this chemokine is critically involved in irreversible tissue damage.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

The chemokine SDF-1 is a chemoattractant for human CD34+ hematopoietic progenitor cells and provides a new mechanism to explain the mobilization of CD34+ progenitors to peripheral blood.

Hematopoietic progenitor cells migrate in vitro and in vivo towards a gradient of the chemotactic factor stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) produced by stromal cells. This is the first chemoattractant reported for human CD34+ progenitor cells. Concentrations of SDF-1 that elicit chemotaxis also induce a transient elevation of cytoplasmic calcium in CD34+ cells. SDF-1-induced chemotaxis is inhibited by pertussis toxin, suggesting that its signaling in CD34+ cells is mediated by seven transmembrane receptors coupled to Gi proteins. CD34+ cells migrating to SDF-1 include cells with a more primitive (CD34+/CD38- or CD34+/DR-) phenotype as well as CD34+ cells phenotypically committed to the erythroid, lymphoid and myeloid lineages, including functional BFU-E, CFU-GM, and CFU-MIX progenitors. Chemotaxis of CD34+ cells in response to SDF-1 is increased by IL-3 in vitro and is lower in CD34+ progenitors from peripheral blood than in CD34+ progenitors from bone marrow, suggesting that an altered response to SDF-1 may be associated with CD34 progenitor mobilization.

ADP-ribosyl Cyclase↗
PubMed1997

Eotaxin influences the development of embryonic hematopoietic progenitors in the mouse.

Eotaxin is a potent chemoattractant for eosinophils during inflammation and allergic reactions in the adult, but its role during development has not been studied. We report that eotaxin and its receptor, CCR-3, are expressed by embryonic tissues responsible for blood development, including the yolk sac, fetal liver, and fetal blood. We also found that eotaxin acts synergistically with stem cell factor (SCF) to accelerate the differentiation of embryonic mast cell progenitors and to promote the growth of Mac-1+/Gr-1- cells from progenitors isolated at 10-12 days of gestation. This response is diminished by Pertussis toxin, the Gi alpha inhibitor. These studies suggest that eotaxin is involved in the growth of myeloid cell progenitors and the differentiation of mast cells during embryogenic development.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Role of MCP-1 and RANTES in inflammation and progression to fibrosis during murine crescentic nephritis.

The involvement of chemokines in inflammation is well established but their functional role in disease progression, and particularly in the development of fibrosis, is not yet understood. We have investigated the functional role that the chemokines monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) and RANTES play in inflammation and the progression to fibrosis during crescentic nephritis. During this disease inflammatory infiltrates are observed within glomeruli and interstitium in conjunction with increased expression of MCP-1 and RANTES and a decrease in renal function. Disease progression is marked by formation of glomerular crescents and the deposition of type I collagen. Blocking the function of MCP-1 or RANTES resulted in significant decreases in proteinuria as well as numbers of infiltrating leukocytes, indicating that both MCP-1 and RANTES play an important role in the inflammatory phase of crescentic nephritis. In particular, neutralization of MCP-1, but not RANTES, resulted in a dramatic decrease in glomerular crescent formation and deposition of type I collagen. These results highlight a novel role for MCP-1 in crescent formation and development of interstitial fibrosis and indicate that in addition to recruiting inflammatory cells this chemokine is critically involved in irreversible tissue damage.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Eosinophil recruitment to the lung in a murine model of allergic inflammation. The role of T cells, chemokines, and adhesion receptors.

Eosinophil accumulation is a distinctive feature of lung allergic inflammation. Here, we have used a mouse model of OVA (ovalbumin)-induced pulmonary eosinophilia to study the cellular and molecular mechanisms for this selective recruitment of eosinophils to the airways. In this model there was an early accumulation of infiltrating monocytes/macrophages in the lung during the OVA treatment, whereas the increase in infiltrating T-lymphocytes paralleled the accumulation of eosinophils. The kinetics of accumulation of these three leukocyte subtypes correlated with the levels of mRNA expression of the chemokines monocyte chemotactic peptide-1/JE, eotaxin, and RANTES (regulated upon activation in normal T cells expressed and secreted), suggesting their involvement in the recruitment of these leukocytes. Furthermore, blockade of eotaxin with specific antibodies in vivo reduced the accumulation of eosinophils in the lung in response to OVA by half. Mature CD4+ T-lymphocytes were absolutely required for OVA-induced eosinophil accumulation since lung eosinophilia was prevented in CD4+-deficient mice. However, these cells were neither the main producers of the major eosinophilic chemokines eotaxin, RANTES, or MIP-1alpha, nor did they regulate the expression of these chemokines. Rather, the presence of CD4+ T cells was necessary for enhancement of VCAM-1 (vascular cell adhesion molecule-1) expression in the lung during allergic inflammation induced by the OVA treatment. In support of this, mice genetically deficient for VCAM-1 and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 failed to develop pulmonary eosinophilia. Selective eosinophilic recruitment during lung allergic inflammation results from a sequential accumulation of certain leukocyte types, particularly T cells, and relies on the presence of both eosinophilic chemoattractants and adhesion receptors.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Distinct expression and function of the novel mouse chemokine monocyte chemotactic protein-5 in lung allergic inflammation.

We have cloned a novel mouse CC chemokine cDNA from the lung during an allergic inflammatory reaction. The protein encoded by this cDNA is chemotactic for eosinophils, monocytes, and lymphocytes in vitro and in vivo. Based on its similarities in sequence and function with other CC chemokines, we have named it mouse monocyte chemotactic protein-5 (mMCP-5). Under noninflammatory conditions, expression of mMCP-5 in the lymph nodes and thymus is constitutive and is generally restricted to stromal cells. Neutralization of mMCP-5 protein with specific antibodies during an allergic inflammatory reaction in vivo resulted in a reduction in the number of eosinophils that accumulated in the lung. Moreover, mMCP-5 mRNA expression in vivo is regulated differently from that of other major CC chemokines in the lung during the allergic reaction, including Eotaxin. The presence of lymphocytes is essential for expression of mMCP-5 by alveolar macrophages and smooth muscle cells in the lung, and the induction of mMCP-5 RNA occurs earlier than that of the eosinophil chemokine Eotaxin during allergic inflammation. In contrast to Eotaxin, mRNA for mMCP-5 can be produced by mast cells. From these results, we postulate that mMCP-5 plays a pivotal role during the early stages of allergic lung inflammation.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1996

Hematopoietic supportive functions of mouse bone marrow and fetal liver microenvironment: dissection of granulocyte, B-lymphocyte, and hematopoietic progenitor support at the stroma cell clone level.

We dissected the functions of the microenvironment of bone marrow (BM) and fetal liver (FL) at the cellular level by cloning individual stromal calls and characterizing their phenotypical and functional features. Stromal cell clones derived from FL are large in size (mean forward light scatter intensity [mFSC] of 450), express the surface antigen Thy-1 but not Sca-1 and 6 out of 6 are able to differentiate into fat accumulating adipocytes. BM derived stromal cell clones are either small (mFSC of 250) or large (mFSC of 450), express Sca-1 but not Thy-1 and only 2 out of 7 differentiate towards adipocytes. Heterogeneity in terms of vascular adhesion molecule-1, intracellular adhesion molecule-1 and heat stable antigen expression was found among the different cell clones. Functional assays using long- and short-term cocultures of stromal and hematopoietic calls revealed: (1) the capacity of 8 out of 12 stromal cell clones to support the expansion of primitive hematopoietic progenitors (colony forming unit spleen day 12) more than 10 weeks. Fat accumulation but not expression of stem cell factor by stromal cells did correlate with this supportive function. (2) Better support of granulocyte maturation and proliferation by BM- compared to FL-derived stromal cell clones. However, stromal cell clones from both organs expressed macrophage-colony stimulating factor. (3) The ability of 4 out of 12 stromal cell clones (derived from both, FL and BM) to support the expansion of Interleukin-7 dependent pre-B cells from the BM. Pre-B cell growth stimulating factor was not restricted to supporters. (4) Mutual exclusiveness of myeloid and lymphoid support in that a given stromal cell clone supported either pre B-cell or granulocyte expansion. Experiments comparing the support of BM- and FL-derived hematopoietic progenitors showed identical responses of late (B220+/c-kit-) but strikingly different responses of early (B220+/c-kit+) pre-B cells, revealing different proliferation requirements for FL- versus BM- derived early pre-B cells in vitro.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1996

Induction of alloantigen-specific tolerance by B cells from CD40-deficient mice.

Interaction between CD40 on B cells and CD40 ligand molecules on T cells is pivotal for the generation of a thymus-dependent antibody response. Here we show that B cells deficient in CD40 expression are unable to elicit the proliferation of allogeneic T cells in vitro. More importantly, mice immunized with CD40-/- B cells become tolerant to allogeneic major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigens as measured by a mixed lymphocyte reaction and cytotoxic T-cell assay. The failure of CD40-/- B cells to serve as antigen presenting cells in vitro was corrected by the addition of anti-CD28 mAb. Moreover, lipopolysaccharide stimulation, which upregulates B7 expression, reversed the inability of CD40-/- B cells to stimulate an alloresponse in vitro and abrogated the capacity of these B cells to induce tolerance in vivo. These results suggest that CD40 engagement by CD40 ligand expressed on antigen-activated T cells is critical for the upregulation of B7 molecules on antigen-presenting B cells that subsequently deliver the costimulatory signals necessary for T-cell proliferation and differentiation. Our experiments suggest a novel strategy for the induction of antigen-specific tolerance in vivo.

Animals↗