Biomedical subjects

Sam Okret

Publications and source records attributed to Sam Okret.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2005

Effects of ethanol on cytokine generation and NFkappaB activity in human lung epithelial cell.

Alcohol abuse is associated with enhanced risk for pulmonary infections, but the mechanisms remain obscure. We assessed whether ethanol reduced generation of cytokines from a human lung epithelial cell line (A549) in vitro and if effects on the NFkappaB transcription factor were involved. Exposure of A549 to ethanol (0.1-1%) dose-dependently inhibited (by 15-49%) the release of G-CSF and IL-8, but not of M-CSF, triggered by IL1beta or TNFalpha. Ethanol also inhibited by 49% the IL-1beta stimulated translocation of the p65 subunit of NFkappaB from the cytoplasm into the nucleus. Using a kappaB binding and luciferase coupled construct, transfected into A549 cells, we found that 1% ethanol specifically reduced IL-1beta and TNFalpha induced luciferase activity with 34 and 40%, respectively. Thus, in vitro exposure of lung epithelial cells to ethanol reduced the generation of cytokines, as well as translocation and gene activation by NFkappaB.

Cell Line, Tumor↗

PubMed2005

Conditional expression of a glucocorticoid receptor transgene in thymocytes reveals a role for thymic-derived glucocorticoids in thymopoiesis in vivo.

We and others have previously reported that thymic epithelial cells produce glucocorticoids (GCs). In vitro studies have also suggested that thymic-derived GCs play a role in the development of thymocytes. However, until now it has not yet been established whether thymic-derived GCs play a role in thymopoiesis in vivo. To investigate this, we conditionally overexpressed the GC receptor (GR) in thymocytes using transgenic mice with a tetracycline-inducible expression system. The influence of systemic GCs was excluded by adrenalectomizing the transgenic mice before the GR induction. Conditional expression of transgenic GR in the thymocytes of adrenalectomized transgenic mice led to a decrease in the thymocyte number. This was associated with increased thymocyte apoptosis. The effect of thymic-derived GCs on the thymocytes was confirmed after transgenic GR induction in a thymic organ culture system. Finally, the GR antagonist RU486 increased thymocyte number in adrenalectomized mice in vivo and prevented a reduction in thymocyte number in thymic organ culture after transgenic GR induction. These observations further confirmed a role for the thymic-derived GCs in regulating thymocyte homeostasis in vivo.

Adrenalectomy↗

PubMed2004

Identification of endogenous glucocorticoid repressed genes differentially regulated by a glucocorticoid receptor mutant able to separate between nuclear factor-kappaB and activator protein-1 repression.

Glucocorticoids are commonly used in the clinic, but long-term treatment is often associated with severe side effects. One way to reduce unwanted effects is to restrict glucocorticoid receptor (GR) signaling through defined pathways. In this study, we examine endogenous target genes regulated by a GR mutant that in contrast to the wild-type GR is unable to repress stimulated nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) activity, whereas repression of activator protein-1 (AP-1) activity is maintained. This GR mutant (GRR488Q) harbors a point mutation in the second zinc finger of the DNA binding domain. Its ability to distinguish between NF-kappaB and AP-1 repression is defined using reporter genes regulated by both simple and natural promoters. The inability of GRR488Q to repress NF-kappaB was not related to its inability to activate target genes through a glucocorticoid response element. Furthermore, the discriminating property was observed in three different cell lines, suggesting that this is not a cell-specific effect. These results show that different receptor surfaces or mechanisms are involved in repression of NF-kappaB and AP-1, respectively. It is interesting that the GRR488Q still interacted physically with NF-kappaB. Gene expression profiling of human embryonic kidney 293 cells, which express the wild-type GR and the GRR488Q mutant allowed identification of endogenous genes preferentially repressed by GR interference with NF-kappaB activity. The genes differentially regulated by GRR488Q mutant versus the wild-type GR after 2 h of treatment seem mainly to be involved in control of transcription and cell growth. At 8 h, no such distinction could be seen.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

Identification of target genes involved in the antiproliferative effect of glucocorticoids reveals a role for nuclear factor-(kappa)B repression.

Glucocorticoid hormones (GCs) exert an antiproliferative effect on most cells. However, the molecular mechanism is still largely unclear. We investigated the antiproliferative mechanism by GCs in human embryonic kidney 293 cells with stably introduced glucocorticoid receptor (GR) mutants that discriminate between cross-talk with nuclear factor-(kappa)B (NF-(kappa)B) and activator protein-1 signaling, transactivation and transrepression, and antiproliferative vs. non-antiproliferative responses. Using the GR mutants, we here demonstrate a correlation between repression of NF-(kappa)B signaling and antiproliferative response. Gene expression profiling of endogenous genes in cells containing mutant GRs identified a limited number of genes that correlated with the antiproliferative response. This included a GC-mediated up-regulation of the NF-(kappa)B-inhibitory protein I(kappa)B(alpha), in line with repression of NF-(kappa)B signaling being important in the GC-mediated antiproliferative response. Interestingly, the GC-stimulated expression of I(kappa)B(alpha) was a direct effect despite the inability of the GR mutant to transactivate through a GC-responsive element. Selective expression of I(kappa)B(alpha) in human embryonic kidney 293 cells resulted in a decreased percentage of cells in the S/G2/M phase and impaired cell proliferation. These results demonstrate that GC-mediated inhibition of NF-(kappa)B is an important mechanism in the antiproliferative response to GCs.

Blotting, Northern↗

PubMed2004

Glucocorticoids delay age-associated thymic involution through directly affecting the thymocytes.

After puberty, the thymus undergoes a dramatic loss in size, resulting in a reduction in the number of thymocytes, a phenomenon termed age-associated thymic involution. The factors regulating this process are poorly understood. We investigated the role of endogenous glucocorticoids (GCs) in this process by studying transgenic mice with increased GC sensitivity restricted to the T-cell lineage due to overexpression of a GC-receptor transgene under the control of the proximal lck promoter. Surprisingly, in these transgenic mice, the age-associated thymic involution did not start until after 6 months of age, demonstrating that endogenous GCs through directly affecting the thymocytes delay the age-associated thymic involution process. The delayed age-associated thymic involution resulted in a significantly higher number of thymocytes in transgenic mice, compared with wild-type mice at 6 months of age or older. The higher number of thymocytes was associated with increased percentage of cycling double-negative and single-positive thymocytes, whereas thymic apoptosis was unaffected. The above effects of GCs were restricted to the thymocytes and were not reflected on the peripheral T cells, in which GCs suppressed the number of peripheral T cells in aged transgenic mice, demonstrating that thymocytes and T cells are differentially regulated by GCs. Furthermore, CD4(+) T cells were more affected than CD8(+) T cells, resulting in a decrease in the CD4/CD8 T-cell ratio. In summary, our results reveal novel biological effects of endogenous GCs on thymic involution and T-cell homeostasis in aged mice.

Aging↗

PubMed2004

Different roles for glucocorticoids in thymocyte homeostasis?

Glucocorticoids (GCs) have important immunoregulatory effects on thymocytes and T cells. Ectopic production of GCs has been demonstrated in thymic epithelial cells (TECs) but the role of GCs in thymocyte homeostasis is controversial. Studies in several different mouse models, genetically modified for the GC receptor (GR) expression or function, have demonstrated conflicting results in terms of the effect of the hormone on thymocytes. Here, we summarize these data and suggest that GCs can mediate both positive and negative effects in the organ depending on the local hormonal concentration. Basal GC levels might promote growth of early thymocytes in young mice, and increased levels, generated through a stress reaction, apoptosis in these cells. A gradual loss of GC synthesis in TECs during aging might contribute to thymic involution, a process so far unexplained.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

Aged transgenic mice with increased glucocorticoid sensitivity in pancreatic beta-cells develop diabetes.

Glucocorticoids are diabetogenic hormones because they decrease glucose uptake, increase hepatic glucose production, and inhibit insulin release. To study the long-term effects of increased glucocorticoid sensitivity in beta-cells, we studied transgenic mice overexpressing the rat glucocorticoid receptor targeted to the beta-cells using the rat insulin I promoter. Here we report that these mice developed hyperglycemia both in the fed and the overnight-fasted states at 12-15 months of age. Progression from impaired glucose tolerance, previously observed in the same colony at the age of 3 months, to manifest diabetes was not associated with morphological changes or increased apoptosis in the beta-cells. Instead, our current results suggest that the development of diabetes is due to augmented inhibition of insulin secretion through alpha(2)-adrenergic receptors (alpha(2)-ARs). Thus, we found a significantly higher density of alpha(2)-ARs in the islets of transgenic mice compared with controls, based on binding studies with the alpha(2)-AR agonist UK 14304. Furthermore, incubation of islets with benextramine, a selective antagonist of the alpha(2)-AR, restored insulin secretion in response to glucose in isolated islets from transgenic mice, whereas it had no effect on control islets. These results indicate that the chronic enhancement of glucocorticoid signaling in pancreatic beta-cells results in hyperglycemia and impaired glucose tolerance. This effect may involve signaling pathways that participate in the regulation of insulin secretion via the alpha(2)-AR.

Aging↗

PubMed2003

p57(Kip2) cooperates with Nurr1 in developing dopamine cells.

Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors of the Cip/Kip family play critical roles in regulating cell proliferation during embryogenesis. However, these proteins also influence cell differentiation by mechanisms that have remained unknown. Here we show that p57Kip2 is expressed in postmitotic differentiating midbrain dopamine cells. Induction of p57Kip2 expression depends on Nurr1, an orphan nuclear receptor that is essential for dopamine neuron development. Moreover, analyses of p57Kip2 gene-targeted mice revealed that p57Kip2 is required for the maturation of midbrain dopamine neuronal cells. Additional experiments in a dopaminergic cell line demonstrated that p57Kip2 can promote maturation by a mechanism that does not require p57Kip2-mediated inhibition of cyclin-dependent kinases. Instead, evidence indicates that p57Kip2 functions by a direct protein-protein interaction with Nurr1. Thus, in addition to its established function in control of proliferation, these results reveal a mechanism whereby p57Kip2 influences postmitotic differentiation of dopamine neurons.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

Cross-talk between glucocorticoid and retinoic acid signals involving glucocorticoid receptor interaction with the homoeodomain protein Pbx1.

Glucocorticoid (GC) signalling influences the response of the cell to a number of other signals via a mechanism referred to as 'cross-talk'. This cross-talk may act at several levels, including an interaction between the transcription factors involved in the signalling pathways. In the present paper, we demonstrate a novel functional interaction between GC and all- trans -retinoic acid (RA) signalling. We show that, in P19 embryonal carcinoma cells, GCs potentiate RA-induced expression of the murine Hoxb -1 gene through an autoregulatory element, b1-ARE, recognized by the Pbx1 and HOXB1 homoeodomain proteins. The synergistic effect of GC did not involve GC receptor (GR) binding to the b1-ARE, and the GC-GR complex alone was unable to activate transcription via the element. Furthermore, the ability of the GR to transactivate was not required, excluding expression of a GC-induced protein as the mechanism for the GC/RA synergy. Additional transfection experiments showed that the Pbx1/HOXB1 heterodimer was the target for the GC effect. Furthermore, functional dissection of the GR demonstrated that the DNA-binding domain (DBD) of the GR was required for the synergy. A physical interaction between the GR and Pbx1 proteins was demonstrated in vivo by co-immunoprecipitation experiments. These results are compatible with a model in which the GC/RA synergy is mediated by a direct interaction between the GR and Pbx1. On the basis of the ubiquitous expression of both GR and Pbx1, a number of genes regulated by Pbx are likely to be important targets for GC-mediated 'cross-talk'.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

Organic dust activates NF-kappaB in lung epithelial cells.

Exposure in swine confinement facilities induces airway inflammation in healthy subjects. The aim of the present study was to elucidate the role of nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB in the inflammatory response induced by organic dust. A human lung epithelial carcinoma cell line (A549) was transfected with reporter genes of the human IL-6 promoter or the NF-kappaB binding site fused to the luciferase reporter gene and stimulated with dust from a swine confinement building. Cytokine release in cell culture supernatants and luciferase activity was measured. The dust-induced the activities of the IL-6 promoter reporter gene and the NF-kappaB reporter gene in parallel with an increase in IL-6 and IL-8 release. The addition of pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate, a chemical NF-kappaB blocking agent, inhibited IL-6 and IL-8 secretion as well as the NF-kappaB reporter gene activity. Increasing the amount of IkappaB alpha led to inhibition of organic dust-induced IL-6 promoter and NF-kappaB reporter gene activities. Fluticasone inhibited the organic dust-induced NF-kappaB activation and IL-6 and IL-8 secretion. Finally, swine dust incubation of A549 cells resulted in a NF-kappaB DNA binding, which is composed of the NF-kappaB1 and RelA proteins. In conclusion, by interference at various levels we have shown that NF-kappaB plays a key role in the inflammatory response to organic dust.

Androstadienes↗

PubMed2002

A pro-apoptotic effect of the CDK inhibitor p57(Kip2) on staurosporine-induced apoptosis in HeLa cells.

Apoptosis, or programmed cell death, is involved in many biological events, including tumorigenesis. Recently, it has been reported that two members of the Cip/Kip family of CDK inhibitors, p21(Cip1) and p27(Kip1), are involved in the regulation of apoptosis. Here, we report that selective expression of the third member in this family, p57(Kip2), potentiated staurosporine-induced apoptosis in HeLa cells. This pro-apoptotic effect was associated with an increased caspase-3 activity. In contrast, glucocorticoid treatment, despite inducing p57(Kip2) expression in HeLa cells, was found to have an inhibitory effect on staurosporine-induced apoptosis. This anti-apoptotic effect of glucocorticoids could be explained by a concomitant increase in Bcl-x(L) expression. The results presented in this study show that p57(Kip2) has a stimulatory effect on apoptosis induced by staurosporine, suggesting a role for p57(Kip2) in the response of tumor cells to cytotoxic drugs.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

PubMed2002

Effects of altered glucocorticoid sensitivity in the T cell lineage on thymocyte and T cell homeostasis.

The homeostatic regulation that controls total thymocyte and peripheral T-cell numbers is not clearly understood. We describe here a direct hormonal influence of endogenous levels of glucocorticoids (GCs) on thymocyte and peripheral T-cell homeostasis independent of indirect systemic effects of GCs. The results were obtained by generating transgenic mice with an altered GC sensitivity targeted to thymocytes and peripheral T cells by increasing or decreasing glucocorticoid receptor (GR) expression specifically in thymocytes and peripheral T cells. A twofold increase in GC sensitivity resulted in a major decrease in thymocyte number, affecting all subpopulations, although single-positive CD8+ cells were less influenced. In the thymus, this was due to increased apoptosis in the organ, whereas proliferation of thymocyte populations was unaffected. In the periphery, a pronounced reduction in T-cell number was seen, demonstrating an effect of endogenous GCs also on T-cell homeostasis. The effects were confirmed in transgenic mice with reduced GR expression, which showed increased thymocyte and T-cell numbers. Thus, our data demonstrate that physiological GC levels are directly involved in controlling the size of both thymocyte and T-cell pools.

Animals↗