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Biomedical subjects

M Templin

Publications and source records attributed to M Templin.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

CD4+ T cell mediated intestinal immunity: chronic inflammation versus immune regulation.

BACKGROUND: Several studies have suggested that chronic inflammatory bowel disease may be a consequence of antigen specific recognition by appropriate T cells which expand and induce immunopathology. AIMS: We wished to investigate whether autoreactive CD4+ T cells can initiate the disease on recognition of enterocyte specific antigens directly and if induction of mucosal tolerance occurs. METHODS: Transgenic mice (VILLIN-HA) were generated that showed specific expression of haemagglutinin from influenza virus A exclusively in enterocytes of the intestinal epithelium. To investigate the impact of enterocyte specific haemagglutinin expression in an autoimmune environment, we mated VILLIN-HA mice with T cell receptor (TCR)-HA mice expressing an alpha/beta-TCR, which recognises an MHC class II restricted epitope of haemagglutinin, and analysed the HA specific T cells for induction of autoimmunity or tolerance. RESULTS: In VILLIN-HAxTCR-HA mice, incomplete central deletion of HA specific lymphocytes occurred. Peripheral HA specific lymphocytes showed an activated phenotype and increased infiltration into the intestinal mucosa, but not into other organs of double transgenic mice. Enterocyte specific lamina propria lymphocytes showed a dose dependent proliferative response on antigen stimulation whereas the proliferative capacity of intraepithelial lymphocytes was reduced. Mucosal lymphocytes from VILLIN-HAxTCR-HA mice secreted lower amounts of interferon gamma and interleukin (IL)-2 but higher levels of tumour necrosis factor alpha, monocyte chemoattractant protein 1, and IL-6. Mucosal immune reactions were accompanied by broad changes in the gene expression profile with expression of proinflammatory genes, but strikingly also a remarkable set of genes discussed in the context of peripheral induction of regulatory T cells, including IL-10, Nrp-1, and Foxp3. CONCLUSIONS: Enterocyte specific antigen expression is sufficient to trigger a specific CD4+ T cell response leading to mucosal infiltration. In our model, progression to overt clinical disease was counteracted most likely by induction of regulatory T cells.

Animals↗

CXCR4/CXCL12 expression and signalling in kidney cancer.

CXCL12 (SDF-1), a CXC-chemokine, and its specific receptor, CXCR4, have recently been shown to be involved in tumourgenesis, proliferation and angiogenesis. Therefore, we analysed CXCL12alpha/CXCR4 expression and function in four human kidney cancer cell lines (A-498, CAKI-1, CAKI-2, HA-7), 10 freshly harvested human tumour samples and corresponding normal kidney tissue. While none of the analysed tumour cell lines expressed CXCL12alpha, A-498 cells were found to express CXCR4. More importantly, real-time RT-PCR analysis of 10 tumour samples and respective adjacent normal kidney tissue disclosed a distinct and divergent downregulation of CXCL12alpha and upregulation of CXCR4 in primary tumour tissue. To prove that the CXCR4 protein is functionally active, rhCXCL12alpha was investigated for its ability to induce changes of intracellular calcium levels in A-498 cells. Moreover, we used cDNA expression arrays to evaluate the biological influence of CXCL12alpha. Comparing gene expression profiles in rhCXCL12alpha stimulated vs unstimulated A-498 kidney cancer cells revealed specific regulation of 31 out of 1176 genes tested on a selected human cancer array, with a prominent stimulation of genes involved in cell-cycle regulation and apoptosis. The genetic changes reported here should provide new insights into the developmental paths leading to tumour progression and may also aid the design of new approaches to therapeutic intervention.

Antigens, Surface↗

Organically modified aluminosilicate mesostructures from block copolymer phases

Organically modified aluminosilicate mesostructures were synthesized from two metal alkoxides with the use of poly(isoprene-b-ethyleneoxide) block copolymers (PI-b-PEO) as the structure-directing molecules. By increasing the fraction of the inorganic precursors with respect to the polymer, morphologies expected from the phase diagrams of diblock copolymers were obtained. The length scale of the microstructures and the state of alignment were varied using concepts known from the study of block copolymers. These results suggest that the use of higher molecular weight block copolymer mesophases instead of conventional low-molecular weight surfactants may provide a simple, easily controlled pathway for the preparation of various silica-type mesostructures that extends the accessible length scale of these structures by about an order of magnitude.

Journal Article↗

Identification and cloning of the gene encoding penicillin-binding protein 7 of Escherichia coli.

Penicillin-binding protein (PBP) 7 of Escherichia coli is a poorly characterized member of the family of enzymes that synthesize and modify the bacterial cell wall. The approximate chromosomal position of the gene encoding this protein was determined by measuring the expression of PBPs during lytic infection of E. coli by each of the 476 miniset members of the Kohara lambda phage genomic library. Phages lambda 363 and lambda 364, encompassing the region from 47.7 to 48 min of the chromosome, overproduced PBP 7. One open reading frame, yohB, was present on both these phages and directed the expression of PBPs 7 and 8. The predicted amino acid sequence of PBP 7 contains the consensus motifs associated with other PBPs and has a potential site near the carboxyl terminus where proteolysis by the OmpT protein could occur, creating an appropriately sized PBP 8. The PBP 7 gene (renamed pbpG) was interrupted by insertion of a kanamycin resistance gene cassette and was moved to the chromosome of E. coli. No obvious growth defects were observed, suggesting that PBP 7 is not essential for growth under normal laboratory conditions.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The role of dichloroacetate in the hepatocarcinogenicity of trichloroethylene.

The induction of hepatic tumors in B6C3F1 mice treated with trichloroethylene (TRI) has been attributed to its metabolism to trichloroacetate (TCA). Trichloroacetate is an effective peroxisome proliferator in mice at blood concentrations that are readily achieved with carcinogenic doses of TRI. Recent data has demonstrated that both TCA and dichloroacetate (DCA) are capable of inducing liver tumors in B6C3F1 mice. Although long recognized as a metabolite of TRI, little attention has focussed on the role DCA might play in the hepatocarcinogenic effects of TRI. There are significant differences in the effects of DCA and TCA on the liver of B6C3F1 mice. Trichloroacetate treatment induces peroxisome proliferation, increases lipid deposition, and results in a marked accumulation of lipofuscin in the liver with long-term exposures. Dichloroacetate induces a markedly enlarged liver associated with a cytomegaly and large accumulations of glycogen. The cytomegaly is associated with the development of focal areas of recurrent liver necrosis which in turn lead to high levels of cell proliferation in the area surrounding these lesions. Induction of peroxisomes with DCA is transitory and the accumulation of lipofuscin is much less evident than with TCA treatment. Studies of TRI metabolism demonstrate that blood levels of DCA produced are sufficient to account for the hepatocarcinogenic effects of TRI. The rather low concentrations of DCA found in the urine of mice treated with TRI relative to TCA concentrations are due to the much more rapid and complete metabolism of DCA. These data do not support the conclusion that the hepatocarcinogenic effects of TRI are simply related to peroxisome proliferation.

Animals↗