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J Feuillard

Publications and source records attributed to J Feuillard.

25 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

NF-kappaB activity in transgenic mice: developmental regulation and tissue specificity.

The transcription factor family NF-kappaB/Rel is responsible for the regulation of a large number of cellular genes and some viruses. Since there is a strong similarity between the NF-kappaB/Rel family members and the Drosophila melanogaster protein DORSAL, which is activated early during embryogenesis, we were interested in determining the pattern of NF-kappaB activity during mouse development. Two lacZ reporter constructs, each driven by promoter elements that are dependent on the presence of nuclear NF-kappaB/Rel activity, were used to produce transgenic mice. The analysis of these mice did not identify nuclear NF-kappaB/Rel activity in early development prior to implantation or during the gastrulation processes. Earliest expression of the lacZ transgene was detected on day E12.5. Before birth lacZ expression was seen in discrete regions of the rhombencephalon of the developing brain, in the spinal medulla, in some of the blood vessels and in the thymus. After birth, the NF-kappaB/Rel activity in the thymus remained but nuclear activity was also found in the bone marrow, in the spleen and in the capsule of the lymph nodes. In the central nervous system, drastic changes in NF-kappaB/Rel activity could be observed in the first 3 weeks after birth, when the cortex and the cerebellum reach functional and morphological maturity. Considering the results of the p50, p65, relB and c-rel knock-out mice and our present findings, we believe that the NF-kappaB/Rel proteins known so far are probably not implicated in processes of early development and differentiation of the different tissues, but rather in maintaining their function once matured.

Animals↗

High expression of latent membrane protein 1 of Epstein-Barr virus and BCL-2 oncoprotein in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-related primary brain lymphomas.

Nearly all primary brain lymphomas in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients are associated withEpstein-Barr virus (EBV). The role of EBV in lymphomagenesis is not totally elucidated. One possible mechanism is the overexpression of the BCL-2 oncoprotein, because the latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1) has been reported to transactivate the bcl-2 gene in vitro. To study the interrelationship beetween LMP1 and BCL-2 in vivo, we have analyzed and compared their expression in 11 AIDS-related primary brain lymphomas and 57 AIDS-related systemic lymphomas by immunoperoxidase technique on frozen sections. In AIDS-related primary brain lymphoma, LMP1 and BCL-2 were expressed in all cases but 1. All positive cases exhibited morphologic immunoblastic features. In contrast, the only negative case was histologically close to Burkitt's lymphoma. In systemic lymphomas, LMP1 was expressed in 21 cases, whereas BCL-2 was positive in only 3 cases, all of which were extranodal. These results indicate that, in addition to the histologic type, the role of EBV genes and BCL-2 expression in lymphomatous cells differ as a function of their localization. In AIDS-related primary brain lymphomas, this correlation between LMP1 and BCL-2 overexpression may have a major implication in lymphomagenesis.

Base Sequence↗

Isolation and characteristics of tonsil centroblasts with reference to Ig class switching.

Most tonsil B cells have high levels of surface CD44 but this molecule is either expressed at low levels or is absent from germinal centre B cells (GCB). On average 62% of isolated GCB were found to be CD44- and the remainder CD44low. Most CD44- GCB were in cell cycle, indicating that they were centroblasts, while centrocytes, non-dividing GCB, were mainly CD44low. Immunohistological analysis confirms that centrocytes, which are located in the light zone of germinal centres, express low levels of CD44, while centroblasts, cells of the dark zone, are CD44-. While most CD77high GCB are centroblasts and CD77low GCB centrocytes, many centroblasts and centrocytes express intermediate levels of CD77, making this less reliable than CD44 for discriminating between these cells. Most CD44low and CD44- GCB were shown to have undergone Ig switch recombination in vivo. This indicates that switch recombination is independent of the maturation of centroblasts to centrocytes and precedes the signals that induce GCB to differentiate to plasma cells or memory B cells. The average rate of entry of the CD44- GCB fraction to apoptosis on culture at 37 degrees C was faster than that of the total GCB preparation. It is suggested that this may reflect strict stromal-dependence of centroblasts while centrocytes have to survive for long enough to have the chance of receiving antigen-specific selection signals. Inhibition of apoptosis by CD40 mAb with IL-4 or phorbol myristate acetate with ionomycin was similar in the CD44- and CD44low preparations.

ADP-ribosyl Cyclase↗

Visualization of the endogenous NF-kappa B p50 subunit in the nucleus of follicular dendritic cells in germinal centers.

NF-kappa B, a 50 kDa/65 kDa (p50/p65) heterodimer, is a ubiquitous transcription factor involved in the positive regulation of various immune genes. The aim of this study was to determine whether NF-kappa B is related to a particular cell type and/or differentiation step during immunopoiesis. Using in situ hybridization on sections from non HIV hyperplastic lymph nodes, we found that the gene of the 105 kDa precursor of p50 was overexpressed in the light zone of germinal centers, with a network aspect, which suggested the involvement of follicular dendritic cells (FDC). By immunohistochemistry, p50 protein was detected in the cytoplasm and nucleus of FDC, confirming the involvement of FDC. Furthermore, p50 protein was detected in the cytoplasm of all lymphocytes. Thus, we focused our study on isolated FDC clusters from normal tonsils. As showed on tissue sections, we detected the p50 in both cytoplasm and nucleus of FDC. Nuclei of lymphocytes from FDC clusters were negative. We next studied p65 and c-Rel protein expression in FDC clusters. p65 was detected in the cytoplasm of FDC, whereas nuclei were negative. Furthermore, p65 was detected in the nuclei of some lymphocytes. c-Rel protein was detected only in the cytoplasm of lymphocytes and not in the nucleus and cytoplasm of FDC. Our results indicated that, in the context of T cell-dependent B cell immunopoiesis occurring in FDC clusters, p50 is mainly related to FDC with a massive overexpression in the nuclei, whereas p65 is expressed in a scattered manner in the nuclei of lymphocytes and c-Rel protein exclusively in the cytoplasm of lymphocytes from FDC clusters. These results suggested that the two subunits of NF-kappa B and the c-Rel protein have different roles in different cell types during B cell immunopoiesis.

Adolescent↗

Comparative study of in vitro inhibition of activation of the classical and alternative pathways of human complement by the magnesium and sodium salts of the anti-inflammatory peptide N-acetyl-aspartyl-glutamic acid (NAAGA).

The inhibitory activity of the sodium salt of the anti-inflammatory peptide N-acetyl-aspartyl-glutamic acid (NAAGA) on activation of the classical and alternative pathways of human complement was compared with that of the clinically used magnesium salt of NAAGA (NAAGA-Mg). Sodium salt of NAAGA (NAAGA-Na) inhibited both pathways of activation in a dose-dependent manner at concentration ranging from 1 to 10 mM by acting on formation and/or function of the C3 convertases as shown by the inhibitory capacity of the peptide on the release of the C3 cleavage fragment C3b and C3a. NAAGA-Na was as effective as NAAGA-Mg in inhibiting classical pathway activation at concentration above 10 mM. NAAGA-Na was more effective than NAAGA-Mg in inhibiting the alternative pathway since the sodium salt did not interfere with Mg-dependent formation of the alternative pathway C3 convertase.

Animals↗

NF-kappa B activation by tumor necrosis factor alpha in the Jurkat T cell line is independent of protein kinase A, protein kinase C, and Ca(2+)-regulated kinases.

NF-kappa B is a DNA-binding regulatory factor able to control transcription of a number of genes, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) genes. In T cells, NF-kappa B is activated upon cellular treatment by phorbol esters and the cytokine tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha). In the present work, we investigated the molecular events leading to NF-kappa B activation by TNF alpha in a human T cell line (Jurkat) and its subclone JCT6, which presents a deficiency in the PKA transduction pathway. We found that in both cell lines, both phorbol ester and TNF alpha were able to activate NF-kappa B. Phorbol activation was positively modulated by Ca2+ influx while TNF alpha activation was not. Furthermore, while PMA activation was inhibited by the PKC inhibitor staurosporin, the TNF alpha effect was unchanged. TNF alpha did not activate cAMP production and its signal was not modulated by cAMP activators. Moreover, cAMP activators did not activate NF-kappa B in Jurkat cells. Thus, TNF alpha-induced NF-kappa B activation was found to be mediated by none of the major signal-mediating kinases such as protein kinase C (PKC), protein kinase A, or Ca(2+)-regulated kinases. Furthermore, we found that cytoplasmic acidification facilitated NF-kappa B activation by both TNF alpha and PKC, by a mechanism that increases NF-kappa B/I kappa B dissociation without affecting the NF-kappa B translocation step.

Calcium↗

A computer-assisted two-dimensional gel electrophoresis approach for studying the variations in protein expression related to an induced functional repression of NFkappaB in lymphoblastoid cell lines.

Strategies are needed for conclusive interpretation of two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-D PAGE) maps in order to identify pertinent differences in protein expression during regulation of the transcription of discrete sets of genes. The model used in this study was a human lymphoblastoid cell line in which a functional repression of the transcription factors NFkappaB was obtained by induction of overexpression of IkappaBalpha, a physiological inhibitor of NFkappaB. The analytical methodology used relies on the comparison of two sets of 2-D PAGE maps for detecting differences in protein expression between samples overexpressing or not overexpressing IkappaBalpha. The analysis was based on a combination of an automatic computerized analysis, constituting an actual aid for deciding, and of an interactive visual validation, corresponding to the interpretation of computer propositions. This strategy is proposed as a rapid way to detect potential variations in protein expression applicable to any biological model. In this study, correspondence analysis data made it possible to discrimate between the samples overexpressing or not overexpressing IkappaBalpha, and pointed out some of the potential meaningful spots characterizing the samples in which NFkappaB was active. Then, after visual validation of the computer data, 53 polypeptides were considered to be different in the two classes of gels. Five polypeptides were specifically found in both samples overexpressing IkappaBalpha. The overexpression of IkappaB also induced a lower expression of 11 polypeptides. Finally, 15 polypeptides were only expressed in samples in which IkappaBalpha was not overexpressed and, consequently, in which NFkappaB factors were active. Thus, these polypeptides are candidates for further analysis as putative target gene products of NFkappaB.

Acrylic Resins↗