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W Kindsvogel

Publications and source records attributed to W Kindsvogel.

8 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

A soluble class II cytokine receptor, IL-22RA2, is a naturally occurring IL-22 antagonist.

IL-22 is an IL-10 homologue that binds to and signals through the class II cytokine receptor heterodimer IL-22RA1/CRF2-4. IL-22 is produced by T cells and induces the production of acute-phase reactants in vitro and in vivo, suggesting its involvement in inflammation. Here we report the identification of a class II cytokine receptor designated IL-22RA2 (IL-22 receptor-alpha 2) that appears to be a naturally expressed soluble receptor. IL-22RA2 shares amino acid sequence homology with IL-22RA1 (also known as IL-22R, zcytor11, and CRF2-9) and is physically adjacent to IL-20Ralpha and IFN-gammaR1 on chromosome 6q23.3-24.2. We demonstrate that IL-22RA2 binds specifically to IL-22 and neutralizes IL-22-induced proliferation of BaF3 cells expressing IL-22 receptor subunits. IL-22RA2 mRNA is highly expressed in placenta and spleen by Northern blotting. PCR analysis using RNA from various tissues and cell lines showed that IL-22RA2 was expressed in a range of tissues, including those in the digestive, female reproductive, and immune systems. In situ hybridization revealed the dominant cell types expressing IL-22RA2 were mononuclear cells and epithelium. Because IL-22 induces the expression of acute phase reactants, IL-22RA2 may play an important role as an IL-22 antagonist in the regulation of inflammatory responses.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2000

TACI and BCMA are receptors for a TNF homologue implicated in B-cell autoimmune disease.

B cells are important in the development of autoimmune disorders by mechanisms involving dysregulated polyclonal B-cell activation, production of pathogenic antibodies, and co-stimulation of autoreactive T cells. zTNF4 (BLyS, BAFF, TALL-1, THANK) is a member of the tumour necrosis factor (TNF) ligand family that is a potent co-activator of B cells in vitro and in vivo. Here we identify two receptors for zTNF4 and demonstrate a relationship between zTNF4 and autoimmune disease. Transgenic animals overexpressing zTNF4 in lymphoid cells develop symptoms characteristic of systemic lupus erythaematosus (SLE) and expand a rare population of splenic B-Ia lymphocytes. In addition, circulating zTNF4 is more abundant in NZBWF1 and MRL-lpr/lpr mice during the onset and progression of SLE. We have identified two TNF receptor family members, TACI and BCMA, that bind zTNF4. Treatment of NZBWF1 mice with soluble TACI-Ig fusion protein inhibits the development of proteinuria and prolongs survival of the animals. These findings demonstrate the involvement of zTNF4 and its receptors in the development of SLE and identify TACI-Ig as a promising treatment of autoimmune disease in humans.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1998

Glucagon-mediated Ca2+ signaling in BHK cells expressing cloned human glucagon receptors.

From video imaging of fura 2-loaded baby hamster kidney (BHK) cells stably expressing the cloned human glucagon receptor, we found the Ca2+ response to glucagon to be specific, dose dependent, synchronous, sensitive to pertussis toxin, and independent of Ca2+ influx. Forskolin did not elicit a Ca2+ response, but treatment with a protein kinase A inhibitor, the Rp diastereomer of 8-bromoadenosine-3',5'-cyclic monophosphothioate, resulted in a reduced glucagon-mediated Ca2+ response as well as Ca2+ oscillations. The specific phospholipase C inhibitor U-73122 abolished the Ca2+ response to glucagon, and a modest twofold increase in inositol trisphosphate (IP3) production could be observed after stimulation with glucagon. In BHK cells coexpressing glucagon and muscarinic (M1) acetylcholine receptors, carbachol blocked the rise in intracellular free Ca2+ concentrations in response to glucagon, whereas glucagon did not affect the carbachol-induced increase in Ca2+. Furthermore, carbachol, but not glucagon, could block thapsigargin-activated increases in intracellular free Ca2+ concentration. These results indicate that, in BHK cells, glucagon receptors can activate not only adenylate cyclase but also a second independent G protein-coupled pathway that leads to the stimulation of phospholipase C and the release of Ca2+ from IP3-sensitive intracellular Ca2+ stores. Finally, we provide evidence to suggest that cAMP potentiates the IP3-mediated effects on intracellular Ca2+ handling.

8-Bromo Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate↗
PubMed1997

An islet-cell protein tyrosine phosphatase is a likely precursor to the 37-kDa autoantigen in type 1 diabetes: human and macaque sequences, tissue distribution, unique and shared epitopes, and predictive autoantibodies.

BACKGROUND: We sought to identify novel islet-cell autoantigens to better understand the pathogenesis, prediction, and immunotherapy of type 1 diabetes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Macaque and human islet cDNA libraries expressed in mammalian cells were screened with human diabetes sera. A positive clone was sequenced directly and after 5' rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE). Northern blotting and in situ hybridization revealed the tissue distribution of the corresponding protein. Antigen, expressed by in vitro translation, and tryptic peptides were analyzed by SDS-PAGE. For the immunoprecipitations, 183 diabetic, 60 prediabetic, and 91 control sera were used. Truncated antigens were used in immunoprecipitations for epitope mapping. Recombinant antigen expressed in transfected fibroblasts was used in competition assays. RESULTS: Sequencing yielded an 111-kDa, 1,013 amino acid, transmembrane protein (M1851) containing consensus protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTPase) sequence. M1851 was 77% identical in the intracellular domain, but only 31% identical extracellularly, to the islet-cell autoantigen ICA512. mRNA localized to brain, prostate, pancreatic islets, and adrenal medulla. After limited trypsinization, the in vitro translated antigen was 37 kDa. M1851 was recognized by 47% of prediabetes sera, 31% of new diabetes sera, but only 1% of healthy controls. Only 1/73 sera binding M1851 failed to bind ICA512, whereas 42/114 binding ICA512 did not bind M1851. M1851 reactivity was not fully displaced by ICA512 in 24/49 sera. Removing the C-terminal 27, 80, or 160 amino acids of M1851 decreased reactivity by 70%, 90%, and 100%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This new islet-cell PTPase is likely to be the precursor to the 37-kDa tryptic fragment antigen. It is structurally related to ICA512 but has distinct diabetes autoantibody epitopes located at the C terminus.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1996

The Gly40Ser mutation in the human glucagon receptor gene associated with NIDDM results in a receptor with reduced sensitivity to glucagon.

The pancreatic islet hormone, glucagon, stimulates hepatic glucose production and has also been shown to potentiate glucose-induced insulin secretion. Because glucagon is a key regulator of glucose homeostasis, its receptor, which mediates the actions of glucagon, was considered a candidate gene involved in the pathogenesis of NIDDM. We have previously reported that a single heterozygous missense mutation in exon 2 of the glucagon receptor gene, which changes a glycine to a serine (Gly40Ser), is associated with NIDDM in a French population. In the present study, the signaling properties of this mutant receptor were examined in baby hamster kidney cells and rat insulinoma cells (RIN-5AH) stably transfected with either the wild type or Gly40Ser mutant human glucagon receptor cDNAs. Competition assays using (125)I-labeled glucagon were performed, and in both cell types, the Gly40Ser mutant receptor was found to bind glucagon with an approximately threefold lower affinity compared with the wild type receptor. In both cell types, the production of cAMP in response to glucagon was decreased in cells expressing the mutant receptor compared with those expressing the wild type. Finally, glucagon-stimulated insulin secretion by RIN cells expressing the mutant receptor was decreased such that the dose-response curve was shifted to the right in comparison to that obtained with cells expressing the wild type receptor. These results indicate that this single-point mutation located in the extracellular region of the glucagon receptor decreases the sensitivity of target tissues to glucagon.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1994

Synergistic activation of the type I adenylyl cyclase by Ca2+ and Gs-coupled receptors in vivo.

The type I adenylyl cyclase is directly stimulated by Ca2+ and calmodulin in vivo (Choi, E. J., Wong, S. T., Hinds, T. R. and Storm, D. R. (1992) J. Biol. Chem. 267, 12440-12442; Wu, Z., Wong, S. T., and Storm, D. R. (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268, 23766-23768). In this study, we examined the sensitivity of the type I adenylyl cyclase expressed in HEK-293 cells to beta-adrenergic agonists or glucagon when intracellular Ca2+ was elevated by Ca2+ ionophore or carbachol. Although previous studies have shown that this enzyme can be directly stimulated by activated Gs in vitro, we demonstrate that it is not stimulated by Gs-coupled receptors in vivo. However, the enzyme was stimulated by Gs-coupled receptors in vivo when it was activated by intracellular Ca2+. For example, the Ca2+ ionophore A23187 stimulated the enzyme 3 +/- 0.5-fold (n = 9) and isoproterenol alone did not stimulate the enzyme, but the combination of the two stimulated type I adenylyl cyclase 13 +/- 2-fold (n = 9) in vivo. Similarly, 500 nM glucagon alone did not stimulate the enzyme but the combination of A23187 and glucagon activated the enzyme 90 +/- 8-fold (n = 4). Synergistic stimulation of type I adenylyl cyclase activity was also obtained with combinations of carbachol and isoproterenol or glucagon. This phenomenon was not observed with a mutant enzyme that is insensitive to Ca2+ and calmodulin, suggesting that conformational changes caused by binding of calmodulin to the type I adenylyl cyclase enhance binding or coupling to activated Gs. These data illustrate that this adenylyl cyclase can couple Ca2+ and neurotransmitter signals to generate optimal cAMP levels, a property of the enzyme that may be important for its role in learning and memory in mammals.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗
PubMed1993

An evaluation of the potential to use tumor-associated antigens as targets for antitumor T cell therapy using transgenic mice expressing a retroviral tumor antigen in normal lymphoid tissues.

A major obstacle to the development of T cell therapy for the treatment of human tumors has been the difficulty generating T cells specifically reactive with the tumor. Most of the characterized human tumor antigens have been classified as tumor associated, because of demonstrable expression at low levels in some normal cells, and thus have not been extensively studied as potential targets of a therapeutic immune response. However, the quantitative difference in expression of such antigens between the tumor and normal cells might permit the generation of antigen-specific T cells capable of selective antitumor and not autoimmune activity. To address this issue, transgenic (TG) mice were generated that expressed low levels of Friend murine leukemia virus (FMuLV) envelope protein in lymphoid cells under the control of an immunoglobulin promoter. This protein is expressed at high levels by a Friend virus-induced erythroleukemia of C57BL/6 (B6) origin, FBL, and has been shown to serve as an efficient tumor-specific rejection antigen in B6 mice. The env-TG mice were tolerant to envelope, as reflected by the failure to detect an envelope-specific response after in vivo priming and in vitro stimulation with preparations of FMuLV envelope. However, adoptively transferred envelope-specific T cells from immunized non-TG B6 mice mediated complete eradication of FBL tumor cells in TG mice, and did not induce detectable autoimmune damage to TG lymphoid tissues. The transferred immune cells were not permanently inactivated in the TG mice, since donor T cells responded to envelope after removal from the TG mice. The lack of autoimmune injury did not reflect inadequate expression of envelope by TG lymphocytes for recognition by T cells, since TG lymphocytes functioned effectively in vitro as stimulators for envelope-specific T cells. The results suggest that this and analogous strains of TG mice may prove useful for elucidating principles for the generation and therapeutic use of tumor-reactive T cells specific for tumor-associated antigens.

Animals↗