Analysis Of Intracellular Antigens Research Articles

SPARC Oppositely Regulates Inflammation and Fibrosis in Bleomycin-Induced Lung Damage

Fibrosis results from inflammatory tissue damage and impaired regeneration. In the context of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis, we demonstrated that the matricellular protein termed secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC) distinctly regulates inflammation and collagen deposition, depending on its cellular origin. Reciprocal Sparc(-/-) and wild-type (WT) bone marrow chimeras revealed that SPARC expression in host fibroblasts is required and sufficient to induce collagen fibrosis in a proper inflammatory environment. Accordingly, Sparc(-/-) >WT chimeras showed exacerbated inflammation and fibrosis due to the inability of Sparc(-/-) macrophages to down-regulate tumor necrosis factor production because of impaired responses to tumor growth factor-β. Hence, the use of bone marrow cells expressing a dominant-negative form of tumor growth factor-β receptor type II under the monocyte-specific CD68 promoter, as a decoy, phenocopied Sparc(-/-) donor chimeras. Our results point to an unexpected dual role of SPARC in oppositely influencing the outcome of fibrosis.

Comparative analysis of different permeabilization methods for the flow cytometry measurement of cytoplasmic myeloperoxidase and lysozyme in normal and leukemic cells

Using a direct one-color (fluorescein isothiocyanate; FITC) staining method with a Facscan flow cytometer, we evaluated the intracellular expression of two granular constituents of myeloid cells [myeloperoxidase (MPO) and lysozyme] on leukemic cells from 21 patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and 6 patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Three different permeabilization techniques were used [FACS Lysing Solution (FLy), B.Dis; Ortho-PermeaFix (OPF); Fix and Perm (F&P), Caltag] prior to monoclonal antibody (McAb) staining, in order to verify the specificity and the sensitivity of the three labelling methods towards the two model antigens. Peripheral blood cells from 15 healthy subjects and Ortho Absolute Control served as controls. Data were expressed as percentage of positivity, net fluorescence intensity, ratio between mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) of positive cells and that of isotypic controls (P/N ratio; evaluated in both geometric and arithmetic scale), and, in 12 representatives cases (7 AML, 5 normal samples), in the form of both molecules of equivalent soluble fluorochromes (MESF) and antibody binding capacities (ABC). As far as the antigenic expression of MPO and lysozyme in normal samples is concerned, F&P resulted, in our hands, in the most specific and sensitive staining, followed by FLy solution and OPF, which showed positivity for MPO, and, to lesser extent, for lysozyme in a considerable manner of lymphocytes (means 64% and 54%, respectively, for OPF and FLy; range of ABC/cell: 0.9-5.2 x 10(3)) obtained from healthy subjects. With the reference F&P permeabilizing solution, 90% and 80% of FAB M1-M5 cases were found to be positive for MPO and lysozyme, respectively. However, M1, M2, and M3 AML FAB (French-American-British) subvarieties were characterized by a brighter expression for MPO (mean ABC/cell: 89 x 10(3)) than that of lysozyme (mean ABC/cell: 12.5 x 10(3D)), whereas blast cells from patients with M5a FAB subtypes showed higher levels of lysozyme (mean ABC/cell: 65 x 10(3)) than that of MPO (mean ABC/cell: 0.1 x 10(3)). One of five cases of FAB MO AML showed a dull positivity for MPO-7 McAb. Patients with ALL were MPO and lysozyme negative using both F&P and FLy reagents, although a certain degree of positivity was documented in some cases with OPF. Taking these data together, it can be stated that the use of anti-MPO McAbs may be of great value for the diagnosis and monitoring of acute leukemia and, along with lysozyme McAb, can provide useful information in the distinction of myeloid from monocytic leukemias and in the lineage assignment of apparently biphenotypic forms. However, the methodology used for the detection of these myeloid-associated antigens is critical for a correct interpretation of cytofluorimetric data and should be taken into account when evaluating data coming from multicenter trials dealing with leukemias. A standardization of cytofluorimetric analysis of intracellular antigens is needed in order to improve the reproducibility and comparability of results in multicenter studies.

Intracellular degradation of the complement C3b/C4b receptor in the absence of ligand.

Human neutrophils (PMN) respond to various soluble stimuli by translocating intracellular complement C3b/C4b receptors (CR1) to the cell surface. Ligand-independent internalization of surface CR1 has been demonstrated previously, but the fate of total cellular CR1 during PMN stimulation has not been determined. In order to study the fate of CR1 during neutrophil activation, we have employed a unique approach for the quantitative analysis of intracellular antigens which allows simultaneous measurement of total cellular and surface membrane antigen pools. Stimulation of isolated PMN with N-formyl-Met-Leu-Phe or ionomycin resulted in a mean 7-fold increase in surface CR1 expression within 15 min. Total cellular CR1 decreased by as much as 45% within 15 min, with loss continuing for up to 1 h. Inclusion of NH4Cl during PMN stimulation inhibited the loss of total CR1 without affecting surface CR1 expression. Addition of phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride inhibited loss of total CR1 and enhanced the stimulus-induced increases in surface CR1. These data suggest that intracellular degradation of CR1 occurs during stimulation of PMN and may involve proteolysis in an acidic intracellular compartment. Since our experiments were done with isolated PMN in the absence of serum and complement components, this degradation occurred in the absence of C3b, the ligand for CR1. To our knowledge, ligand-independent degradation of a cell surface receptor has not been previously detected.

Simultaneous cytometric analysis for the expression of cytoplasmic and surface antigens in activated T cells.

A method of two-colour immunofluorescence staining has been developed to allow the simultaneous analysis of both surface and cytoplasmic antigens. This involves the use of direct fluorochrome antibody conjugates for cell-surface antigen staining, followed by cell permeabilization and the staining of cytoplasmic antigens with biotinylated antibodies and streptavidin-fluorochrome conjugates. Fluorochrome-antibody conjugates bound to cell-surface epitopes were found not to be affected by the subsequent permeabilisation and cytoplasmic staining. This method was used to examine the surface phenotype of T cells expressing a cytoplasmic antigen, STA. STA is a unique determinant detected in activated human T cells by the monoclonal antibody K-1-21, which also recognizes a cross-reactive conformation-dependent epitope on human free kappa light chains. Cytometric analysis showed that STA is found in both Leu 2a+ cytotoxic/suppressor T cells and Leu 3a+ helper/inducer T cells but is not induced in the Leu 15+ population which contains suppressor T cells. STA was also shown to be an activation antigen in murine T cells.

Analysis of intracellular antigens by flow cytometry

Quantitative immunofluorescence is routinely used in flow cytometric assay of cell surface antigens. Intracellular antigens have not been as tractable. Recent publications (Proc Natl Acad Sci 80:5573-5577, 1983; Cytometry 6:208-214, 1985) and the results presented here demonstrate that highly specific staining and subsequent quantitative analysis are not only possible but rather easily achieved. High purity antibodies and optimized fixing and staining technique are required. Under conditions presented in this paper, 97% of fluorescein specific signal is specific to the T antigen of SV40 when monoclonal antibody to this antigen is used with a transformed cell line. Three levels of quantitative analysis are discussed: estimation of the fraction of positive cells in a mixed +/- population, estimation of the average content of antigen in a population of cells, and measurement of the distribution of antigen content within a population of cells. Results are presented that demonstrate that relatively low specific signal (measured as percentage of total signal) can be tolerated to achieve the first level and that the current methods available that produce a high specific signal are sufficient to achieve the second level. The third level will require further research aimed at lowering the variation introduced by the method of measurement.