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Correlation between CD8 dependency and determinant density using peptide-induced, Ld-restricted cytotoxic T lymphocytes.

We have taken advantage of some unique properties of H-2Ld to investigate the determinant density requirements for cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) priming versus effector function and to correlate the determinant density requirements with CD8 dependency. In a previous study (Lie, W.-R., N. B. Myers, J. Gorka, R. J. Rubocki, J. M. Connolly, and T. H. Hansen. 1990. Nature [Lond.]. 344:439), we demonstrated that culturing normal cells with peptides known to be restricted by H-2Ld led to a two- to fourfold increase in surface Ld expression. In the present study, we demonstrate the generation of Ld-restricted, peptide-specific in vitro primary CTL by culturing spleen cells with murine cytomegalovirus or tum- peptide at concentrations previously shown to result in maximum induction of Ld expression. Target cells can be sensitized for recognition by these CTL with lower dose of peptide than are required for the primary sensitization. This demonstrates differences in the determinant density requirements for priming versus effector function. The in vitro primary CTL generated with peptide can weakly lyse target cells that express the determinant endogenously, and CTL lines and clones capable of strong lysis of endogenous expressors are easily obtained. In both cases, target cells treated with exogenous peptide are lysed better than target cells expressing antigen endogenously. This suggested that there are differences in the determinant density of peptide-fed versus endogenous targets. This interpretation was substantiated when it was observed that the level of lysis of target cells expressing endogenous determinants correlated inversely with the amount of peptide required to sensitize targets for recognition by various tum- -specific CTL clones. Furthermore, simultaneous titration of both the peptide used to treat target cells and the antibody to CD8 revealed that the various CTL clones analyzed displayed widely disparate CD8 dependencies. In each case, the CD8 dependency correlated inversely with the determinant density requirement. Therefore, CD8 dependency of CTL is relative, but shows an absolute and quantitative correlation with their dependency on determinant density. These findings suggest that under physiologic conditions, where only low determinant densities are likely to be encountered, all CTL clones will show at least partial CD8 dependency.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Multiple natural killer cell-activating signals are inhibited by major histocompatibility complex class I expression in target cells.

Several lines of evidence indicate that major histocompatibility complex class I molecules expressed by target cells can prevent natural killer cell (NK) lysis, possibly by engaging inhibitory receptors expressed by NK cells. On the other hand it is likely that NK cells must be activated to lysis by the recognition of unidentified NK target structures on target cells. To investigate the relationship between positive activation of NK cells by NK target structures versus inhibition by target cell class I molecules, we have examined various NK/target cell interactions for which the expression of inhibitory class I molecules by the target cells is known. The results suggests that specific properties of the target cell other than the absence of class I expression are necessary to activate NK-mediated lysis. Furthermore, different effector cell populations, i.e. freshly isolated versus interleukin-2 activated NK cells, differ in their capacity to kill class I-deficient lymphoblast target cells. In general, class I-deficient target cells that are resistant to direct lysis by a given NK population can be lysed by the NK cells when the reaction is mediated by antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC). Most significantly, all types of NK-mediated lysis of lymphoblasts, of tumor cells and of almost any target by ADCC can be inhibited by appropriate class I gene expression in the target cell. These results suggest a model in which lysis by NK cells must be triggered by any one of a set of distinct target cell ligands, but that all of these signals can be overruled by class I-mediated inhibition.

Animals↗

Investigating the site of human saccadic adaptation with express and targeting saccades.

To focus on various objects of interest within the visual environment, primates employ rapid eye movements called saccades. When the accuracy of these movements becomes impaired, the brain can adjust their amplitude by a process known as saccadic adaptation. To investigate the locus of this plasticity in the human brain, we behaviorally adapted two types of saccade thought to be generated through different neuronal pathways. Targeting saccades, which are made to sequentially illuminated targets and have long latencies, are thought to involve higher cortical processing whereas express saccades, which have very short latencies, apparently do not. If adaptation transfers between these two types of saccade, one may conclude that the plasticity must exist at a locus common to the two pathways generating these saccades. We directly reduced the gain of either targeting or express saccades by intrasaccadically moving the target one-third of its amplitude back toward the initial fixation location and then examined whether the gain was also reduced in the other type of saccade. When targeting saccades were adapted directly, all subjects showed significant reductions in the gain of these saccades. In 75% of the 32 experimental target conditions across all subjects, there were also significant reductions in the gain of express saccades, thus providing evidence of adaptation transfer. In 71% of these conditions (i.e., 53% of all target conditions) there was no significant difference between the reductions in gain of the two types of saccade, suggesting that adaptation transfer was complete (100%). Similar results were obtained when express saccades were adapted directly: significant reductions in gain occurred in 91% of express saccades and in 100% of targeting saccades. In 86% of the target conditions, across subjects, in which both express and targeting saccades showed significant reductions in gain, the two types of saccade did not differ significantly in the amount of gain reduction. This suggests that adaptation transfer was complete for 78% of all target conditions. Therefore, we conclude that saccadic adaptation transfers robustly between targeting and express saccades. These results suggest that adaptation in humans occurs after the pathways generating these two types of saccade converge, probably at or downstream from the superior colliculus.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

Expression of target antigen for Epstein-Barr virus-specific cytotoxic T cells on BJAB cells freshly infected with EBV.

The target antigen for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-specific cytotoxic T cells (Tc) was expressed on BJAB cells exposed to the B95-8 strain of EBV for at least one hour. Ultraviolet-light (UV)-irradiated noninfectious B95-8 virus also induced the target antigen on BJAB cells. Cold target competition tests suggested that the target antigen expressed on EBV-infected BJAB cells was distinct from the lymphocyte-detected membrane antigen (LYDMA) which was also recognized by the EBV-specific Tc and expressed on autologous EBV-Transformed lymphoblastoid cell line (LCL) cells. Neither of these target antigens for EBV- specific Tc was detected on the surface of EBV-genome positive BJAB cells which had been kept in a long term culture after EBV-infection. Thus, the virion antigen, especially the EBV-membrane antigen (MA), is a possible candidate for the target antigen expressed on EBV-infected BJAB cells. Lysis of EBV-infected BJAB cells was inhibited by target cell treatment with anti-beta 2 microglobulin (anti-beta 2M) antibody and induction of the effector Tc was dependent on the donor individual. These results suggested the possibility that the Tc recognizing EBV-infected BJAB cells are restricted by the major histocompatibility complex (MHC).

Animals↗

Targeting gene expression to hypoxic tumor cells.

Solid tumors with areas of low oxygen tension (hypoxia) have a poor prognosis, as cells in this environment often survive radiation and chemotherapy. In this report we describe how this hypoxic environment can be used to activate heterologous gene expression driven by a hypoxia-responsive element (HRE), which interacts with the transcriptional complex hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1). Our results demonstrate that the HIF-1/HRE system of gene regulation is active in hypoxic tumor cells and show the potential of exploiting tumor-specific conditions for the targeted expression of diagnostic or therapeutic genes in cancer therapy.

Animals↗

HIV-1 induces cytotoxic T lymphocytes in the cervix of infected women.

Although T lymphocytes are present in the genital mucosa, their function in sexually transmitted diseases is unproven. To determine if cervical T cells mediate HIV-specific cytolysis, mononuclear cells in cytobrush specimens from HIV-1-infected women were stimulated in vitro with antigen. Resultant cell lines lysed autologous targets expressing HIV-1 proteins in 12/19 (63%) subjects, and these responses were detected intermittently on repeated visits. All 8 subjects with blood CD4+ counts > or =500 cells/microl had HIV-1-specific cervical CTL, whereas only 4/11 with counts <500 cells/microl had detectable responses (P = 0.008). Class II MHC-restricted CD4+ CTL clones lysed targets expressing Env gp41 or infected with HIV-1. Class I MHC-restricted CD8+ clones recognized HIV-1 Gag- or Pol-expressing targets, and the epitopes were mapped to within 9-20 amino acids. Comparisons of intra-individual cervical and blood CTL specificities indicate that epitopes recognized by CTL in the cervix were commonly recognized in the blood. These studies provide the first definitive evidence for an MHC-restricted effector function in human cervical lymphocytes.

Cell Line, Transformed↗

Binary system for regulating transgene expression in mice: targeting int-2 gene expression with yeast GAL4/UAS control elements.

We have developed a binary transgenic system that activates an otherwise silent transgene in the progeny of a simple genetic cross. The system consists of two types of transgenic mouse strains, targets and transactivators. A target strain bears a transgene controlled by yeast regulatory sequences (UAS) that respond only to the yeast transcriptional activator GAL4. A transactivator strain expresses an active GAL4 gene that can be driven by any selected promoter. The current paradigm uses the murine growth factor int-2 cDNA as the target gene and the GAL4 gene driven by the mouse mammary tumor virus long terminal repeat as the transactivator. Both target and transactivator strains are phenotypically normal. By contrast, the bigenic offspring of these two strains express high levels of the target int-2 gene in each organ expressing the GAL4 transactivator. They also display a characteristic dominant int-2 phenotype that consists of epithelial hyperplasia in mammary and salivary glands, as well as prostatic and epididymal hypertrophy, which results in male sterility.

Animals↗

Regulation of p53 target gene expression by cisplatin-induced extracellular signal-regulated kinase.

The extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway is among several signal transduction pathways that are activated in response to exposure to the DNA damage-inducing chemotherapeutic agent cisplatin. We have previously reported that inhibition of cisplatin-induced ERK activity enhances sensitivity to cisplatin. Furthermore, we have demonstrated that cisplatin-induced ERK activation is required for optimal p53 protein accumulation following cisplatin-induced DNA damage. In the present study, we expanded our investigations to examine the effect of cisplatin-induced ERK activation on the expression of p53-targeted genes that have been shown to be important in the cellular response to DNA damage including Bax, Bcl-2, Bcl-x1, Cyclin G, Gadd45, p21WAF1, and Mdm2. In the ovarian carcinoma cell line A2780, cisplatin was shown to induce expression of p21WAF1, Gadd45 and Mdm2, but cisplatin had no effect on expression of Bax, Bcl-2, Bcl-x1, or Cyclin G. Inhibition of cisplatin-induced ERK activity by PD98059 resulted in decreased levels of p21WAF1, Gadd45 and Mdm2. These results provide evidence that ERK activity during the cisplatin DNA damage response, regulates in part, these cell cycle control (p21WAF1, Gadd45), DNA repair (Gadd45) and p53-regulatory (Mdm2) proteins.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

Controlled, targeted, intracellular expression of ribozymes: progress and problems.

Significant progress has been made in the development of ribozymes for a wide variety of intracellular applications, including human gene therapy. Further advances are likely to come from innovative strategies to improve the delivery, expression, co-localization, targeting specificity and substrate turnover of ribozymes. In order to stimulate problem solving in these areas, this article discusses examples of recent successes in intracellular ribozyme applications, and identifies some of the obstacles that remain. In addition, some testable, but as yet untried, ideas for overcoming several of these obstacles are presented.

Animals↗

Targeted gene expression without a tissue-specific promoter: creating mosaic embryos using laser-induced single-cell heat shock.

We have developed a method to target gene expression in the Drosophila embryo to a specific cell without having a promoter that directs expression in that particular cell. Using a digitally enhanced imaging system to identify single cells within the living embryo, we apply a heat shock to each cell individually by using a laser microbeam. A 1- to 2-min laser treatment is sufficient to induce a heat-shock response but is not lethal to the heat-shocked cells. Induction of heat shock was measured in a variety of cell types, including neurons and somatic muscles, by the expression of beta-galactosidase from an hsp26-lacZ reporter construct or by expression of a UAS target gene after induction of hsGAL4. We discuss the applicability of this technique to ectopic gene expression studies, lineage tracing, gene inactivation studies, and studies of cells in vitro. Laser heat shock is a versatile technique that can be adapted for use in a variety of research organisms and is useful for any studies in which it is desirable to express a given gene in only a distinct cell or clone of cells, either transiently or constitutively, at a time point of choice.

Animals↗

Role of gamma delta TCR+ lymphocytes in the augmented resistance of trehalose 6,6'-dimycolate-treated mice to influenza virus infection.

Trehalose 6,6'-dimycolate (TDM), an immunomodulator, potentiates non-specific resistance in mice to influenza virus infection. When mice were injected intravenously with TDM, the striking proliferation of a minority of T-lymphocytes bearing gamma/delta T-cell receptors (gamma delta T-cells) that accumulated in granulomatous lungs was thought to be associated with the maintenance of acquired resistance to lethal influenza virus infection. To clarify the cellular basis of the defence against influenza virus, mice were depleted of gamma delta T-cells, alpha/beta (alpha beta) T-cells, or natural killer (NK) cells by in vivo administration of corresponding antibodies prior to influenza virus infection. The depletion of gamma delta T-cells significantly abrogated the augmented resistance of TDM-treated mice to infection, as did depletion of either alpha beta T-cells or NK cells. To gain insight into the functional ability of gamma delta T-cells, we evaluated the cytotoxic activity of this T-cell subset against a panel of target cell lines that were stably transfected with the influenza virus haemagglutinin (HA) gene from A/PR/8/34(H1N1) and A/Aichi/2/68(H3N2) strains. The gamma delta T-cells from TDM-treated mice showed profound cytotoxicity against the target cells expressing HA of either the H1 or H3 subtype, in a non-major histocompatibility complex-restricted manner. Taken together, these results indicate that gamma delta T-cells play a non-specific role, in conjunction with alpha beta T-cells and NK cells, in protecting mice against influenza virus infection, and that the recognition and destruction of HA-expressing target cells by the activated gamma delta T-cells is one of the steps involved in this anti-influenza virus immunosurveillance.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗

Fructan Accumulation and Sucrose Metabolism in Transgenic Maize Endosperm Expressing a Bacillus amyloliquefaciens SacB Gene.

Over 40,000 species of plants accumulate fructan, [beta]-2-1- and [beta]-2-6-linked polymers of fructose as a storage reserve. Due to their high fructose content, several commercial applications for fructans have been proposed. However, plants that accumulate these polymers are not agronomically suited for large-scale cultivation or processing. This study describes the transformation of a Bacillus amyloliquefaciens SacB gene into maize (Zea mays L.) callus by particle bombardment. Tissue-specific expression and targeting of the SacB protein to endosperm vacuoles resulted in stable accumulation of high-molecular-weight fructan in mature seeds. Accumulation of fructan in the vacuole had no detectable effect on kernel development or germination. Fructan levels were found to be approximately 9-fold higher in sh2 mutants compared to wild-type maize kernels. In contrast to vacuole-targeted expression, starch synthesis and endosperm development in mature seeds containing a cytosolically expressed SacB gene were severely affected. The data demonstrate that hexose resulting from cytosolic SacB activity was not utilized for starch synthesis. Transgenic seeds containing a chimeric SacB gene provide further evidence that the dominant pathway for starch synthesis in maize endosperm is through uridine diphosphoglucose catalyzed by the enzyme sucrose synthase.

Journal Article↗

T cell antigen receptor engagement and specificity in the recognition of stress-inducible MHC class I-related chains by human epithelial gamma delta T cells.

Human gamma delta T cells with the TCR variable region V(delta)1 occur mainly in epithelia and respond to stress-induced expression of the MHC class I-related chains A and B, which have no function in Ag presentation. MIC function as ligands for NKG2D-DAP10, an activating receptor complex that triggers NK cells, costimulates CD8 alpha beta and V(gamma)9V(delta)2 gamma delta T cells, and is required for stimulation of V(delta)1 gamma delta T cells. It is unresolved, however, whether triggering of V(delta)1 gamma delta TCRs is also mediated by MIC or by unidentified cell surface components. Soluble MICA tetramers were used as a binding reagent to demonstrate specific interactions with various V(delta)1 gamma delta TCRs expressed on transfectants of a T cell line selected for lack of NKG2D. Tetramer binding was restricted to TCRs derived from responder T cell clones classified as reactive against a broad range of MIC-expressing target cells and was abrogated when TCRs were composed of mismatched gamma- and delta-chains. These results and the inability of V(delta)1 gamma delta T cells to respond to target cells expressing the ULBP/N2DL ligands of NKG2D, which are highly divergent from MIC, indicate that MIC delivers both the TCR-dependent signal 1 and the NKG2D-dependent costimulatory signal 2. This dual function may serve to prevent erroneous gamma delta T cell activation by cross-reactive cell surface determinants.

Epithelial Cells↗

Bone marrow transplant recipients have defective MHC-unrestricted cytotoxic responses against cytomegalovirus in comparison with Epstein-Barr virus: the importance of target cell expression of lymphocyte function-associated antigen 1 (LFA1).

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) remains the most common single infective cause of death following allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) from major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-identical siblings, whereas Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-related disease is infrequent. We show here that MHC-unrestricted cytotoxic effector cells in the peripheral blood of BMT recipients are highly effective at killing EBV-infected target cells, but are inactive against CMV-infected target cells. Differential cytotoxicity is associated with disparate target structure expression. Although both EBV- and CMV-infected target cells express viral antigens, it is only those infected with EBV that express the adhesion molecule lymphocyte function-associated antigen 1 (LFA1; CD11a/18). Thus, EBV-infected target cells are able to interact with the principal LFA1 ligand, intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM1; CD54), which is expressed on posttransplant peripheral blood mononuclear (PBM) effector cells. CMV-infected target cells cannot utilize this ligand. Posttransplant cytotoxicity against EBV-infected target cells is abolished by target and effector cell blockade with monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) to LFA1 and ICAM1, respectively, demonstrating the functional relevance of this additional ligand interaction. These results provide an illustration both of the importance and of the limitations of MHC-unrestricted cytotoxicity in vivo and may explain the frequency of CMV disease and the relative rarity of EBV-related disease following allogeneic transplantation from MHC-matched siblings. The increased immunosuppression used following MHC-mismatched/matched unrelated-donor BMT may cause this MHC-unrestricted defense mechanism to fail and may contribute to the greatly increased incidence of EBV lymphoproliferative syndrome in these patients.

Adolescent↗

CNS-Specific Ribozyme Expression

Targeted genetic deletion is a powerful tool for analysis of gene function, but the standard approaches carry certain inescapable disadvantages. First, deletion is ubiquitous; tissue-specific knockout cannot be obtained. Second, temporal regulation of depletion is unattainable; the deleted functions are absent throughout the animal's development. As a consequence, during ontogeny, other gene products may be able to compensate, filling the functional gap. Furthermore bifunctional proteins exist that fulfill one role during development and another in the mature organism; deletion will remove the early function and, if this is lethal, the later function will remain undetected. Third, if genes utilize alternative splicing to control protein expression, it is difficult to target one spliced mRNA while leaving intact its related, but different, siblings. We review how these problems may be circumvented using ribozymes to diminish gene expression in a tissue-specific and temporally regulated manner and provide guidelines for the design and delivery of active ribozymes in vivo. Such methods may be particularly useful for analysis of genes involved in ontogeny and function of the central nervous system, in which individual genes may be expressed with alternative splicing patterns, or at differentially regulated levels, at different stages of CNS development.

Journal Article↗

Nuclear trafficking of Cubitus interruptus in the transcriptional regulation of Hedgehog target gene expression.

Transcriptional activation of Hedgehog (Hh) target genes requires Cubitus interruptus, a 155 kDa cytoplasmic zinc finger protein (Ci155), which in the absence of Hh signaling is processed to form a nuclear repressor (Ci75). We show that Hh signaling reduces phosphorylation of Ci155, and this reduction in turn appears to decrease processing. Blocking processing with proteasome inhibitors or altered Ci proteins, however, is insufficient for activation of Hh targets. We find that Hh signaling increases the rate of Ci155 nuclear import, resulting in significant nuclear accumulation. Even in the absence of signaling, nuclear accumulation of Ci155 suffices for significant induction of Hh targets, and active nuclear export of Ci155 is an essential mechanism for maintenance of the unstimulated state.

Animals↗

AMP-activated protein kinase activity is critical for hypoxia-inducible factor-1 transcriptional activity and its target gene expression under hypoxic conditions in DU145 cells.

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) functions as an energy sensor to provide metabolic adaptations under the ATP-deprived conditions such as hypoxia. In the present study, we considered a role of AMPK in the adaptive response to hypoxia by examining whether AMPK is involved in the regulation of hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1), a heterodimeric transcription factor that is critical for hypoxic induction of physiologically important genes. We demonstrate that hypoxia or CoCl2 rapidly activated AMPK in DU145 human prostate cancer cells, and its activation preceded the induction of HIF-1 alpha expression. Under these conditions, blockade of AMPK activity by a pharmacological or molecular approach significantly attenuated hypoxia-induced responses such as HIF-1 target gene expression, secretion of vascular endothelial growth factor, glucose uptake, and HIF-1-dependent reporter gene expression, indicating that AMPK is critical for the HIF-1 transcriptional activity and its target gene expression. Its functional requirement for HIF-1 activity was also demonstrated in several different cancer cell lines, but AMPK activation alone was not sufficient to stimulate the HIF-1 transcriptional activity. We further present data showing that AMPK transmits a positive signal for HIF-1 activity via a signaling pathway that is independent of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/AKT and several mitogen-activated protein kinases. Taken together, our results suggest that AMPK is a novel and critical component of HIF-1 regulation, implying its new roles in oxygen-regulated cellular phenomena.

AMP-Activated Protein Kinases↗