Biomedical subjects

N Nabavi

Publications and source records attributed to N Nabavi.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed1993

Tumor cells expressing major histocompatibility complex class II and B7 activation molecules stimulate potent tumor-specific immunity.

In previous studies we have shown that the highly malignant mouse SaI sarcoma can be converted into an immunogenic tumor that is immunologically rejected by the autologous host if the tumor cells are transfected with and express syngeneic major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II genes. Tumor cells expressing class II heterodimers truncated for the cytoplasmic regions of the alpha and beta chains, however, are as malignant as wild-type class II- tumors. These studies have contributed to the hypothesis that T-cell activation requires two signals: the engagement of the MHC class II/peptide complex of the antigen-presenting cell (APC) by the T cell receptor for antigen of the responding T cell and the transmittal of a second, or costimulatory, signal by the APC to the responding T cell. In this report we show that induction of tumor-specific immunity is facilitated by delivery of a costimulatory signal provided by the B7 activation molecule. Mice challenged with SaI cells bearing truncated class II molecules and transfected with B7 cDNA are immune to the transfectants and are protected against a challenge of wild-type class II-B7- ascites or solid SaI tumor. The induced immunity requires CD4+ T cells and is specific for the immunizing sarcoma cells. These results highlight the critical role of the B7 costimulatory pathway in stimulating long-term, tumor-specific immunity that is effective against high doses of challenging wild-type tumor and suggest a strategy for enhancing tumor rejection.

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PubMed1992

Signalling through the MHC class II cytoplasmic domain is required for antigen presentation and induces B7 expression.

Class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules function as antigen-presenting elements as well as signal transducers on B lymphocytes. We previously reported that a B lymphoma cell transfectant, 5C2, expressing genetically engineered I-Ak molecules with truncated cytoplasmic domains was severely impaired in both antigen presentation and in anti-Ia-induced intracytoplasmic signalling. These two functions could be restored by preculturing 5C2 cells with cyclic AMP analogues. Here we demonstrate that impaired signal transduction by truncated class II molecules results in a deficiency in induction of the newly defined B-cell accessory molecule B7 (ref. 8), which can be reversed by restoration of B7 expression. These data imply that contact of the T-cell antigen receptor with MHC/antigen ligand results in signal transmission through the class II cytoplasmic domain. This signal, which can be mimicked by dibutyryl cAMP, induces expression of B7, resulting in effective antigen presentation. The fact that crosslinking of surface class II MHC also induces B7 expression on normal resting human B cells supports this contention.

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PubMed1991

Coexpression of two distinct genes is required to generate secreted bioactive cytotoxic lymphocyte maturation factor.

Cytotoxic lymphocyte maturation factor (CLMF) is a disulfide-bonded heterodimeric lymphokine that (i) acts as a growth factor for activated T cells independent of interleukin 2 and (ii) synergizes with suboptimal concentrations of interleukin 2 to induce lymphokine-activated killer cells. We now report the cloning and expression of both human CLMF subunit cDNAs from a lymphoblastoid B-cell line, NC-37. The two subunits represent two distinct and unrelated gene products whose mRNAs are coordinately induced upon activation of NC-37 cells. Coexpression of the two subunit cDNAs in COS cells is necessary for the secretion of biologically active CLMF; COS cells transfected with either subunit cDNA alone do not secrete bioactive CLMF. Recombinant CLMF expressed in mammalian cells displays biologic activities essentially identical to natural CLMF, and its activities can be neutralized by monoclonal antibodies prepared against natural CLMF. Since this heterodimeric protein displays the properties of an interleukin, we propose that CLMF be given the designation interleukin 12.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1991

Binding interactions of murine natural killer cells with the fungal target Cryptococcus neoformans.

Murine natural killer (NK) cells have been shown to inhibit the growth of the yeastlike organism Cryptococcus neoformans both in vivo and in vitro. An essential first step in NK cell-mediated damage of cryptococcal cells is the binding of the NK cell to the cryptococcal cell. The studies presented here focused on the binding event. Electron photomicrographs and three-dimensional reconstructions of NK cell-C. neoformans conjugates show that NK cells bind to cryptococci through many microvilli. This is in contrast to the broad membrane-membrane interactions which form the binding site of NK cell-YAC-1 tumor cell conjugates. NK cell binding to cryptococci is much slower than NK cell binding to YAC-1 targets. Maximal conjugate formation with cryptococcal targets is reached after 2 h, whereas maximal conjugate formation with YAC-1 targets is obtained after 20 min. Once maximum NK cell-C, neoformans conjugate formation is obtained, another 4 h is required before damage to the cryptococcal cells can be detected with the CFU assay. These data indicate that the binding and action of NK cells on C. neoformans cells requires considerably more time than is necessary for similar events to occur in the NK cell-tumor cell model. NK cell membrane integrity is necessary for NK cells to bind to tumor targets, since some disruption of membrane integrity with 0.1 M dimethyl sulfoxide reduces conjugate formation and tumor cell lysis. In contrast, 0.1 M dimethyl sulfoxide did not diminish NK cell binding to cryptococcal targets; however, it significantly reduced cryptococcal growth inhibition. Although we have observed several differences in NK cell binding to the cryptococcal target compared with NK cell binding to tumor cell targets, there are some similarities in binding interactions of NK cells with the two different targets. Disulfide bonding appears to play a role in the binding of NK cells to both targets, since 5 mM 2-mercaptoethanol, a reagent that reduces disulfide bonds, prevented NK cells from binding to the tumor targets as well as the cryptococcal targets. Actin filaments, components of the cytoskeletal network, must be intact for NK cells to bind to YAC-1 cells or cryptococci. Taken together, our data confirm that binding of NK cells to the cryptococcal target is prerequisite to the stages that result in damage to the cryptococcal cell and that there are similarities and differences in NK cell-binding interactions with structurally different target cells.

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PubMed1991

Murine natural killer cells are fungicidal to Cryptococcus neoformans.

Murine natural killer (NK) cells have been shown to bind to and inhibit the growth of Cryptococcus neoformans in vitro and to contribute to clearance of the organism in vivo. However, it is unclear whether NK cells actually kill cryptococci or simply inhibit proliferation of the fungal target. Therefore, the studies presented here were designed to determine whether NK cells are fungicidal to C. neoformans targets. C. neoformans viability was determined on the basis of the metabolic function of two different enzyme systems, as measured by the two vital stains MTT [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] and fluorescein diacetate. Cryptococcal viability, as determined by vital stains, was compared with cryptococcal proliferation, as measured by microcolony formation in agarose at the individual cell level and by CFU counts or extinction dilution analysis in the total cell suspension. Initial comparisons of the vital stains and proliferation assays indicated that these methods effectively distinguished between live and heat-killed cryptococci at the individual cell level and in the total cell suspensions. After cryptococci were incubated with murine NK cells for 18 h, vital stains demonstrated that at the single conjugate level and in the total cell suspension, NK cells kill bound C. neoformans target cells. In addition, the numbers of dead cryptococci in the NK cell-C. neoformans suspensions as determined by the vital stains were comparable to the numbers of cryptococci that were unable to proliferate. Kinetics of NK cell-mediated C. neoformans binding and killing at the single conjugate level and in the total cell suspension were assessed by MTT staining at 2-h intervals after mixing effector and target cells, and the data support the concept that NK cell-C. neoformans binding precedes cryptococcal death. Furthermore, unbound, dead fungal cells were observed in the NK cell-C. neoformans suspensions after 18 h, suggesting that NK cell-C. neoformans interactions may involve both effector cell recycling and killing of unbound cryptococci by soluble cytotoxic factors. In conclusion, the results of these studies firmly establish that NK cells kill C. neoformans.

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PubMed1990

A new member of the leucine zipper class of proteins that binds to the HLA DR alpha promoter.

Several mutants derived from transformed human B cell lines are defective in expressing major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II genes. The failure to express a class II gene in at least one such mutant line has been mapped to the MHC class II X box, a conserved transcriptional element in the promoter region. A complementary DNA encoding a DNA-binding protein (human X box binding protein, hXBP-1) whose target is the human DR alpha X box and the 3' flanking region has now been cloned. This complementary DNA encoded a protein with structural similarities to the c-jun proto-oncogene product, and its target sequence was closely related to the palindromic target sequence of c-jun. Mutation of the hXBP-1 DNA target sequence decreased DR alpha promoter activity in vivo. These studies suggest that the hXBP-1 protein acts as a transcription factor in B cells.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1990

Cloning of an interleukin-4 inducible gene from cytotoxic T lymphocytes and its identification as a lipase.

Interleukin-4 (IL-4) has been demonstrated to be an important lymphokine for the generation of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs). Here we describe an IL-4 inducible gene specifically expressed in CTLs. By sequence homology, this gene is likely to be the mouse homolog of pancreatic lipase. Oocyte translation of in vitro transcribed mRNA results in the expression of a protein with lipase activity, and Northern analysis of various tissues and a large panel of hematopoietic cell types demonstrates that this gene is expressed only in the pancreas and CTLs. Lysates of CTLs grown in IL-4, but not in IL-2, exhibit lipase activity. Furthermore, Northern analysis of CTLs grown in the presence of IL-4 for as little as 5 days demonstrates a marked induction of lipase mRNA, which correlates with enhanced cytolysis by these cells. These results suggest that this lipase may have an important role in CTL effector function.

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PubMed1990

Cytoplasmic components of natural killer cells limit the growth of Cryptococcus neoformans.

Murine natural killer (NK) cell-mediated inhibition of growth of a yeast-like target cell, Cryptococcus neoformans, was completely abrogated by blocking the effector cell secretory process with monensin. Therefore, further studies were performed to determine the ability of various cytoplasmic fractions of NK cells to mediate inhibition of cryptococcal growth. Percoll-fractionated homogenates of rat LGL tumor cells demonstrated that the granule-containing fractions plus three additional sets of less dense cytoplasmic fractions displayed anti-cryptococcal activity; whereas only the cytoplasmic granule-containing fractions had cytotoxic activity against YAC-1 tumor cell and sheep erythrocyte targets. Maximal cryptococcal growth inhibition induced by LGL granules occurred after a 1 h incubation, required the presence of Ca2+ (1.0 mM) or Mg2+ (0.5 mM or 5.0 mM), and was completely abrogated in the presence of rabbit anti-LGL granule IgG. Cytolysin, the granule component which mediates tumor cell and sheep erythrocyte lysis, effectively limited the growth of cryptococci. Since Percoll gradient fractionation of the LGL homogenates demonstrated three separate peaks of anti-cryptococcal activity other than the granule peak, it is possible that the cytolysin-containing granules are not the only subcellular component of NK cells playing a role in inhibition of C. neoformans growth.

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PubMed1990

Casein expression in cytotoxic T lymphocytes.

A cDNA that expresses a mRNA restricted to cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) and mammary tissue has been isolated and characterized. The deduced amino acid sequence from this cDNA shows extensive homology with the previously reported amino acid sequence for rat alpha-casein. Indeed, the presence of a six-residue-repeated motif that is specific for rodent alpha-caseins strongly supports the identification of this cDNA as mouse alpha-casein. Northern (RNA) blot analysis of many hematopoietic cell types revealed that this gene is restricted to CTL, being expressed in four of six CTL lines examined. Furthermore, CTL that express this gene were also found to express other members of the casein gene family, such as beta- and kappa-casein. These results suggest that caseins may be important in CTL function, and their potential role in CTL-mediated lysis is discussed.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1990

Identification of an IL-4-inducible gene expressed in differentiating lymphocytes and male germ cells.

Interleukin 4 (IL-4) is a cytokine that is involved in the differentiation of B and T lymphocytes. In this report, we describe the identification of a novel gene, N.52, which was cloned from the murine pre-B cell line R8205 grown in the presence of IL-4 for 48 hr. Although N.52 expression is detectable at low levels in unstimulated R8205 cells, the level of N.52 dramatically increases after only 4 hr exposure to IL-4 and remains at a high level up to 48 hr. Although N.52 expression is low or absent in normal spleen B and T cells, its expression can be induced by the differentiation signals delivered by LPS in B cells and by Con A in T-cell hybrids. While N.52 mRNA is absent in all highly differentiated organs, it is detectable in stem cell harboring lymphoid tissues such as bone marrow, fetal liver, and thymus. Furthermore, N.52 mRNA is expressed at strikingly high levels in the testis, specifically in differentiating male germ cells. It is induced by differentiation signals triggered by the combination of cyclic AMP and retinoic acid in teratocarcinoma F9 cells. Taken together, these data suggest that N.52 is a developmentally regulated gene whose expression in cells of the immune and reproductive systems may be controlled by stimuli that induce differentiation.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1989

A functional role for signal transduction via the cytoplasmic domains of MHC class II proteins.

B cell transfectants expressing MHC class II (Ia) molecules with truncated cytoplasmic domains are defective in both antigen presentation and in anti-Ia induced intracellular signaling. In this report we show that the Ag presentation defect in a truncated-Ia expressing transfectant can be overcome by providing the second messenger for the Ia-mediated signaling event. Preincubation with dibutyryl-cAMP restored the ability of the truncated Ia expressing-transfectant to stimulate IL-2 release by otherwise nonresponsive T hybrids. This provides direct functional evidence that signaling via the cytoplasmic domains of MHC class II proteins leads to the generation of accessory signals in the B cell that are important in T cell activation. The dibutyryl-cAMP induced signal must be on the same cell as the restricting element, does not bypass the requirement for occupancy of the T cell receptor with its normal ligand, and is lost upon fixation of the cells. Thus T cell-B cell interaction involves a two way communication in which both cells sense and respond to the formation of the antigen/MHC/TCR complex.

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PubMed1989

Antigen presentation abrogated in cells expressing truncated Ia molecules.

Oligonucleotide site-directed mutagenesis was used to introduce a premature stop codon in wildtype A beta k and A alpha k cDNA clones to create truncated A beta k and A alpha k molecules lacking the cytoplasmic domain. Transfected B lymphoma cells expressing an I-Ak molecule with a truncated beta-chain or with truncated alpha- and beta-chains showed profound defects in two Ia-related functions: Ia-restricted Ag presentation and intracytoplasmic signaling. The ability of these transfected cell lines to activate autoreactive T hybrids was markedly impaired whereas loss of Ag presentation to nominal Ag-specific T hybrids was more subtle. Ia-mediated transmembrane signaling as measured by PKC translocation from cytosol to nucleus after stimulation with anti-Ak antibody was greatly affected by truncation of the A beta and A alpha cytoplasmic domains. These results indicate an important role for the highly conserved cytoplasmic domain in Ia-mediated responses.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1989

Enhanced MHC class II expression in renal proximal tubules precedes loss of renal function in MRL/lpr mice with lupus nephritis.

Enhanced MHC class II (Ia) antigen expression is a common feature of autoimmunity. The authors investigated the occurrence of renal Ia expression in MRL/MpJ-lpr/lpr (MRL/lpr) mice with lupus nephritis. By immunoperoxidase staining, normal C3H/FeJ and the congenic strain MRL/MpJ-+/+ express Ia in mononuclear cells in the interstitium only, whereas MRL/lpr with nephritis have abundant Ia expression in proximal tubules (PT), mainly towards the basolateral membrane, and in the characteristic perivascular infiltrates. To a lesser extent, enhanced Ia expression is also observed in the interstitium and in the glomerular mesangium. By Northern blot analysis, the increase in Ia surface determinants correlates with an increased steady-state level of class II mRNA for both I-A and I-E. Ia expression on PT starts focally at around 2-months of age, often in proximity to vascular infiltrates, and precedes overt glomerulo-nephritis and proteinuria. Enhanced class II expression is not restricted to the kidney. MRL/lpr have also increased interstitial class II antigen expression in liver, lung, and spleen compared with normal C3H/FeJ mice. Thus, MRL/lpr mice have enhanced systemic Ia expression, but Ia antigen expression is particularly prominent in PT and may play a key role in the initiation and progression of lupus nephritis.

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PubMed1988

Structural mutation affecting intracellular transport and cell surface expression of murine class II molecules.

We have selected Ia variants from the Ia+ (H-2d) M12.4.1 B cell lymphoma that are negative on the cell surface for one or both Ia isotypes. The molecular analysis of two such independently selected cell lines, M12.A2 and M12.C3, is reported here. This analysis revealed that the genes encoding Ad beta (M12.A2) and Ed beta (M12.C3) contained identical single-nucleotide transitions that resulted in the substitution of Ser (mutant) for Asn (wild-type) at residue 82/83 of the extracellular NH2-terminal (membrane distal) beta 1 domain. This conservative substitution caused a cytoplasmic accumulation of I-A or I-E molecules in the respective cell line although predicted secondary-structure analysis suggests a minimal effect on protein conformation. Thus, the mutation appears to have either created a negative signal that stops transport or eliminated a positive signal that is required for transport and targeting to the cell surface.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1988

Cytoplasmic domain affects membrane expression and function of an Ia molecule.

The association of foreign antigen with Ia molecules on the surface of antigen-presenting cells is necessary for the interaction with the clonally distributed antigen receptor on T cells and is therefore critical in the initiation and regulation of immune responses. Ia polypeptides (alpha and beta) are composed of two extracellular domains, a transmembrane domain and a cytoplasmic domain. Although exon-shuffling experiments have demonstrated that antigen associates with the NH2-terminal alpha 1 and beta 1 domains, the roles that the other domains play in Ia function are still poorly understood. The B-hybridoma cell line 2B1 was selected in a series of positive and negative immunoselection steps for a mutation in the Ek alpha polypeptide. It was found to fortuitously contain a mutation in the Ak alpha polypeptide as well. Sequence analysis of the Ak alpha gene showed that a single base transition (C----T) resulted in a stop codon at amino acid residue 222. This caused the loss of 12 amino acids from the cytoplasmic domain of the mature polypeptide. This mutation results in a decreased level of Ak alpha polypeptide expression on the cell surface (50% of wild-type levels), an increased half-life of Ak alpha polypeptide in the cell, and a specific limited defect in antigen presentation.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1988

Differential induction of class II gene expression in murine pre-B-cell lines by B-cell stimulatory factor-1 and by antibodies to B-cell surface antigens.

We have previously reported that BSF-1 and an alloantibody to the B-cell differentiation antigen Lyb2 induce class II gene expression in two Ia negative pre-B-cell lines. Two questions were asked in these studies. The first question is whether the different stimuli which we and others have shown to induce class II expression in B-cells act via the same signal transduction mechanisms. The second question is whether the traditionally accepted pathway of B-cell differentiation, as defined by immunoglobulin (Ig) gene rearrangement, is applicable to other events that occur during B-cell differentiation. In this report, we have therefore examined a large panel of pre-B-cell lines at different stages of Ig gene rearrangement in an attempt to 1) identify the stage in B-cell development where class II gene expression occurs and where it becomes inducible by BSF-1 or anti-Lyb2, and 2) compare the signal transduction mechanisms used by these ligands. The majority of pre-B-cell lines tested did not express BSF-1 receptors and were consequently noninducible for class II by BSF-1; such cell lines were, however, inducible for class II expression by anti-Lyb2 and, in addition, by antibodies to the B220 membrane glycoprotein. The induction of class II molecules by BSF-1 and by anti-Lyb2 and anti-B220 differed in several respects: 1) Induction by anti-Lyb2 and anti-B220 did not require the presence of BSF-1 receptors; 2) BSF-1 selectively induced class II antigen expression while anti-Lyb2 and anti-B220 induced the expression of other surface markers as well; and 3) PGE2 inhibited BSF-1 but not antibody-mediated class II induction. Finally, the presence of receptors for BSF-1 and the baseline expression of cell surface Ia was shown to be unlinked to Ig gene rearrangement and expression in this series of pre-B-cell lines. The independent regulation of Ia and Ig genes observed here may reflect a branching rather than a linear pathway for B-cell differentiation. The differentiation of pre-B-cells to mature Ig-secreting cells should probably not be defined solely by rearrangement of Ig genes, since this is likely to represent an oversimplified view of B-cell differentiation.

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PubMed1986

Antibody-dependent natural killer cell-mediated growth inhibition of Cryptococcus neoformans.

Previous data from this laboratory indicate that normal murine nylon wool nonadherent splenic cells with characteristics of natural killer (NK) cells effectively inhibit in vitro growth of Cryptococcus neoformans, a yeastlike pathogen. Since NK cells have been shown to be involved in antibody-dependent, cell-mediated cytotoxicity against immunoglobulin G (IgG)-coated tumor cells and xenogenic erythrocytes, we were interested in assessing the effects of the IgG fraction of rabbit anticryptococcal serum on NK cell-mediated inhibition of C. neoformans growth. Early in the study it became apparent that the conventional method of determining the numbers of CFU that was used previously for assessment of viable cryptococci at the end of the growth inhibition assay was not reliable for these studies, owing to minor clumping of the organisms in the presence of anticryptococcal antibody. Therefore, the BACTEC radiometric system was evaluated and determined to be a reliable replacement for the CFU count method. Using the BACTEC methodology, we showed that the anticryptococcal antibody significantly augmented the in vitro ability of NK cells to inhibit the growth of C. neoformans compared with normal rabbit serum or tissue culture medium. Furthermore, the antibody alone did not have an adverse effect on the organism, confirming that reduced growth indices obtained from test wells containing antibody, NK cells, and cryptococci were due to the effects of the NK cells. Maximum anticryptococcal activity of the NK cells was observed in the presence of 16 micrograms of IgG per ml; however, significant augmentation of anticryptococcal activity was seen with antibody concentrations as low as 3 micrograms/ml. Using different populations of murine splenic cells which had varying degrees of NK cell activity, we were able to show that NK cell activities, as determined by 51Cr release from YAC-1 targets, directly correlated with antibody-dependent, cell-mediated growth inhibition against cryptococci, suggesting that NK cells were effector cells in the antibody-dependent assays. Furthermore, in every case, the antibody-dependent activity of NK cells against C. neoformans was higher than the spontaneous activity of NK cells against the organism, emphasizing that NK cell activity against cryptococci can be augmented by specific antibody. When NK cell numbers were enriched by Percoll fractionation of nylon wool nonadherent splenic cells, antibody-dependent and spontaneous growth inhibitory activities of the effector cells were concomitantly augmented, confirming that NK cells were the effector cells in antibody-dependent growth inhibition of cryptococci.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

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PubMed1985

In vitro binding of natural killer cells to Cryptococcus neoformans targets.

Nylon wool-nonadherent splenic cells from 7- to 8-week-old CBA mice were further fractionated on discontinuous Percoll gradients. Enrichment of natural killer (NK) cells in Percoll fractions 1 and 2 was confirmed by morphological examination, by immunofluorescent staining, and by assessing the cytolytic activity of each Percoll cell fraction against YAC-1 targets in the 4-h51Cr release assay. Cells isolated from each Percoll fraction were tested for growth-inhibitory activity against Cryptococcus neoformans, a pathogenic yeastlike organism, by using an in vitro 18-h growth inhibition assay. The results showed that NK cell enrichment was concomitant with enrichment of anti-Cryptococcus activity in Percoll fractions 1 and 2. Cells from NK cell-rich fractions formed conjugates with the mycotic targets similar to the conjugates reported in NK cell-tumor systems. In addition, the percentage of effector cell-Cryptococcus conjugates was directly proportional to the level of the C. neoformans growth-inhibitory activity of the effector cells used. Scanning electron microscopy of the effector cell-Cryptococcus conjugates showed direct contact between the effector cells and the cryptococcal targets. An immunolabeling method combined with scanning electron microscopy was used to demonstrate that the effector cells attached to C. neoformans were asialo GM1 positive and, therefore, had NK cell characteristics.

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