Application Of Diphtheria Toxin Research Articles

Morphological remodeling during recovery of the neuromuscular junction from terminal Schwann cell ablation in adult mice

Schwann cells (SCs) are integral to the formation and function of the peripheral nervous system (PNS). Exemplifying their importance, the loss or dysfunction of SCs is a feature of a myriad of diseases and conditions that compromise the PNS. Thus, it remains essential to understand the rules that govern the proliferation, differentiation and reconnection of Schwann cells with peripheral axons. Here, we examined the consequences of locally and acutely ablating terminal Schwann cells (tSCs) at the adult mouse neuromuscular junction (NMJ) by using mice expressing diphtheria toxin receptor (DTR) preferentially in tSCs compared to myelinating SCs followed by local application of diphtheria toxin (DTX). After DTX application, tSCs died but, importantly and contrary to expectations, their associated motor axons did not fully degenerate. Within 3 weeks, tSCs returned and reestablished coverage of the synapse with increased numbers. Furthermore, the post-synaptic muscle fibers displayed increased distinct clusters of acetylcholine receptors and axon terminals exhibited numerous terminal varicosities. The lack of degeneration of bare motor axon terminals and the morphological remodeling that occurs upon the return of tSCs to the NMJ may have wider implications for the mechanisms governing tSC occupancy of the adult NMJ and for conditions that adversely affect tSCs.

Glial remodeling enhances short-term memory performance in Wistar rats

BackgroundMicroglia play a key role in neuronal circuit and synaptic maturation in the developing brain. In the healthy adult, however, their role is less clear: microglial hyperactivation in adults can be detrimental to memory due to excessive synaptic pruning, yet learning and memory can also be impaired in the absence of these cells. In this study, we therefore aimed to determine how microglia contribute to short-term memory in healthy adults.MethodsTo this end, we developed a Cx3cr1-Dtr transgenic Wistar rat with a diphtheria toxin receptor (Dtr) gene inserted into the fractalkine receptor (Cx3cr1) promoter, expressed on microglia and monocytes. This model allows acute microglial and monocyte ablation upon application of diphtheria toxin, enabling us to directly assess microglia’s role in memory.ResultsHere, we show that short-term memory in the novel object and place recognition tasks is entirely unaffected by acute microglial ablation. However, when microglia repopulate the brain after depletion, learning and memory performance in these tasks is improved. This transitory memory enhancement is associated with an ameboid morphology in the newly repopulated microglial cells and increased astrocyte density that are linked with a higher density of mature hippocampal synaptic spines and differences in pre- and post-synaptic markers.ConclusionsThese data indicate that glia play a complex role in the healthy adult animal in supporting appropriate learning and memory and that subtle changes to the function of these cells may strategically enhance memory.

Exposure to diphtheria toxin during the juvenile period impairs both inner and outer hair cells in C57BL/6 mice

Diphtheria toxin (DT) administration into transgenic mice that express the DT receptor (DTR) under control of specific promoters is often used for cell ablation studies in vivo. Because DTR is not expressed in mice, DT injection has been assumed to be nontoxic to cells in vivo. In this study, we demonstrated that DT application during the juvenile stage leads to hearing loss in wild-type mice. Auditory brainstem response measurement showed severe hearing loss in C57BL/6 mice administered DT during the juvenile period, and the hearing loss persisted into adulthood. However, ototoxicity did not occur when DT was applied on postnatal day 28 or later. Histological studies demonstrated that hearing loss was accompanied by significant degeneration of inner and outer hair cells (HCs), as well as spiral ganglion neurons. Scanning electron microscopy showed quick degeneration of inner HCs within 3days and gradual degeneration of outer HCs within 1week. These results demonstrated that DT has ototoxic action on C57BL/6 mice during the juvenile period, but not thereafter, and the hearing loss was due to degeneration of inner and outer HCs by unknown DT-related mechanisms.

Repeated Long-Term DT Application in the DEREG Mouse Induces a Neutralizing Anti-DT Antibody Response.

Regulatory T (Tregs) cells play an important role in mediating tolerance to self-antigens but can also mediate detrimental tolerance to tumours and pathogens in a Foxp3-dependent manner. Genetic tools exploiting the foxp3 locus including bacterial artificial chromosome- (BAC-) transgenic DEpletion of REGulatory T cells (DEREG) mice have provided essential information on Treg biology and the potential therapeutic modulation of tolerance. In DEREG mice, Foxp3+ Tregs selectively express enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) and diphtheria toxin (DT) receptor, allowing for the specific depletion of Tregs through DT administration. We here provide a detailed overview about an important consideration that long-term administration of DT induces a humoral immune response with an appropriate production of anti-DT antibodies that can inactivate DT and thus abrogate its effect in the DEREG mouse. Additionally, we showed that anti-DT mouse serum partially neutralized DT-induced Foxp3 inhibition.

Abstract 208: The Interaction of Neutrophils and Interferon Gamma Promotes Post-infarct Survival in a Mouse Model of Myocardial Infarction

Background: Myelomonocytic cells are involved in both the initial injury phase and the healing process of myocardial infarction (MI). However, the exact interaction of inflammatory myeloid cells and prominent cytokines remains only partly understood. Objective: The goal of the study was to investigate the either cardioprotective or in part adverse role of lysozyme M positive (LysM+) and granulocyte-receptor 1 positive (Gr-1+) immune cells on cardiac injury and healing in a murine model of MI. Methods and results: MI was induced in 8 to 12 week-old male mice (C57BL/6 background) by ligation of the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery. Compared to LysMCre controls, LysM+ cell depleted LysMiDTR transgenic mice (depletion 3d prior MI by diphtheria toxin application, 25 ng/g body weight) showed a decreased influx of CD45.2+/CD3-/CD11b+/Gr-1high neutrophils into infarcted myocardium 1d post MI (measured by flow cytometric analysis). Additionally cardiac mRNA expression levels of inflammatory cytokines like INFγ and TNFα were decreased 7d post MI. To more specifically assess the role of neutrophils, we depleted C57BL/6 mice with a monoclonal anti-Gr-1 antibody and found increased mortality early after MI as well as a decrease in INFγ mRNA expression 1d and 7d post MI. MCP-1 (CCL2) and CCR2 mRNA were reduced 3d after MI according to decreased amount of CD11b+/Ly6G-/Ly6Chigh inflammatory monocytes in the infarcted myocardium of anti-Gr-1 treated mice. LAD ligated INFγ-/- mice displayed a significantly reduced survival, worsening of left ventricular function and an impaired inflammatory cell infiltration compared to C57BL/6 controls. Conclusion: We provide evidence that neutrophils and INFγ play an essential role in survival and cardiac remodeling following MI. Our data indicate that neutrophils are required for monocyte chemotaxis. We conclude, that strategies to combat the inflammatory injury in MI must consider a potentially beneficial effect of early neutrophil influx into infarcted myocardium.

CD4(+) FoxP3(+) regulatory T cells suppress fatal T helper 2 cell immunity during pulmonary fungal infection.

The opportunistic fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans causes lung inflammation and fatal meningitis in immunocompromised patients. Regulatory T (Treg) cells play an important role in controlling immunity and homeostasis. However, their functional role during fungal infection is largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the role of Treg cells during experimental murine pulmonary C.neoformans infection. We show that the number of CD4(+) FoxP3(+) Treg cells in the lung increases significantly within the first 4 weeks after intranasal infection of BALB/c wild-type mice. To define the function of Treg cells we used DEREG mice allowing selective depletion of CD4(+) FoxP3(+) Treg cells by application of diphtheria toxin. In Treg cell-depleted mice, stronger pulmonary allergic inflammation with enhanced mucus production and pronounced eosinophilia, increased IgE production, and elevated fungal lung burden were found. This was accompanied by higher frequencies of GATA-3(+) T helper (Th) 2 cells with elevated capacity to produce interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, and IL-13. In contrast, only a mild increase in the Th1-associated immune response unrelated to the fungal infection was observed. In conclusion, the data demonstrate that during fungal infection pulmonary Treg cells are induced and preferentially suppress Th2 cells thereby mediating enhanced fungal control.

Macrophage-inducible C-type lectin Mincle-expressing dendritic cells contribute to control of splenic Mycobacterium bovis BCG infection in mice.

The macrophage-inducible C-type lectin Mincle has recently been identified to be a pattern recognition receptor sensing mycobacterial infection via recognition of the mycobacterial cell wall component trehalose-6',6-dimycolate (TDM). However, its role in systemic mycobacterial infections has not been examined so far. Mincle-knockout (KO) mice were infected intravenously with Mycobacterium bovis BCG to mimic the systemic spread of mycobacteria under defined experimental conditions. After intravenous infection with M. bovis BCG, Mincle-KO mice responded with significantly higher numbers of mycobacterial CFU in spleen and liver, while reduced granuloma formation was observed only in the spleen. At the same time, reduced Th1 cytokine production and decreased numbers of gamma interferon-producing T cells were observed in the spleens of Mincle-KO mice relative to the numbers in the spleens of wild-type (WT) mice. The effect of adoptive transfer of defined WT leukocyte subsets generated from bone marrow cells of zDC(+/DTR) mice (which bear the human diphtheria toxin receptor [DTR] under the control of the classical dendritic cell-specific zinc finger transcription factor zDC) to specifically deplete Mincle-expressing classical dendritic cells (cDCs) but not macrophages after diphtheria toxin application on the numbers of splenic and hepatic CFU and T cell subsets was then determined. Adoptive transfer experiments revealed that Mincle-expressing splenic cDCs rather than Mincle-expressing macrophages contributed to the reconstitution of attenuated splenic antimycobacterial immune responses in Mincle-KO mice after intravenous challenge with BCG. Collectively, we show that expression of Mincle, particularly by cDCs, contributes to the control of splenic M. bovis BCG infection in mice.

Abstract 212: Cd4+ T-cell Activation By T-cell Receptor Engagement Contributes To Myocardial Ischemia-reperfusion Injury

Background: We have recently shown that CD4 + but not CD8 + T-cells contribute to ischemia-reperfusion injury of the myocardium. We therefore hypothesized that CD4 + T-cells become activated by autoantigen recognition via their T-cell receptor during reperfusion. Methods and Results: Infarct size as percent of the area-at-risk was determined by combined Evans` blue and triphenyltetrazolium (TTC) staining after 30 minutes of in vivo ischemia followed by 24 hours reperfusion in mice. After 24 hours of reperfusion there was a significantly increased population of CD4 + T-cells which expressed the surface protein CD40L in comparison to sham operated mice [n≥7; p<0.05; WT 10.8 ± 0.2% vs. sham 6.4 ± 0.5%]. CD40L is typically expressed in T-cells activated by T-cell receptor engagement. OT-II mice carry a transgenic T-cell receptor with specificity for an ovalbumin-derived peptide. These mice have a limited T-cell receptor repertoire, dominated by specificity for the irrelevant antigen ovalbumin. After 30 minutes of ischemia and 24 hours of reperfusion OT-II mice showed significantly reduction in infarct size [n≥4; p= 0.02; infarct/area at risk: OTII mice 38.9 ± 2.4% vs. WT mice 63.7 ± 6.6 % ]. Administration of a CD40L blocking antibody to wildtype mice also reduced infarct size when compared to administration of isotype-matched antibodies [n≥6; p = 0.03; infarct/ area at risk: anti-CD154 treatment 60.4 ± 3.4% vs. control 75.3 ± 4.1%]. CD4 + CD25 + Foxp3 + T-cells (natural T-regulatory cells) have a low activation threshold and constitute a T-cell subset with reactivity against autoantigens. Depletion of these cells by diphtheria-toxin application in a mouse model expressing the diphtheria-toxin receptor under the Foxp3 promotor also resulted in a significant reduction of infarct size when compared to diphtheria-toxin treated wildtype mice [n≥4; p=0.03; infarct/ area at risk: T reg -depleted DEREG mice 51.9± 3% vs. WT littermates 72.3± 2%]. Conclusion: Our results indicate that CD4 + T-cells that have been activated by an MHC class II/ T-cell receptor dependent mechanism, presumably by autoantigen recognition, contribute to myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury.

An improved mouse line for Cre-induced cell ablation due to diphtheria toxin A, expressed from the Rosa26 locus

The means to specifically ablate cells inside of a living organism have recently been improved and facilitated by stable mouse lines, carrying conditional expression constructs for diphtheria toxin (DT) or diphtheria toxin receptor, that could be activated upon Cre-mediated recombination or the application of diphtheria toxin, respectively. We have lately described the R26:lacZ/DT-A line (Brockschnieder et al., 2004, Mol Cell Biol 24:7636-7642) in which a loxP-conditional DTA allele was introduced into the ubiquitously expressed Rosa26 locus. This strain allowed the ablation of a wide spectrum of cell types by crossing it to tissue specific Cre lines. Unexpectedly, homozygous (but not heterozygous) animals of the R26:lacZ/DT-A line developed some degenerative abnormalities in a variety of tissues. The defects were most probably caused by leaky expression of small amounts of toxin from the unrecombined lacZ(flox)DT-A cassette. Here we show that insertion of an additional transcriptional regulatory sequence (bovine growth hormone polyadenylation signal, bpA) following the lacZ open reading frame prevented the formation of any defects in homozygous mice. The modification did not affect the functionality of the lacZ(flox)DTA allele, as exemplified by the complete ablation of oligodendrocytes upon Cre-mediated recombination. The novel R26:lacZbpA(flox)DTA line is expected to greatly facilitate the reliable generation of cell type ablated mice.

A Cre-inducible diphtheria toxin receptor mediates cell lineage ablation after toxin administration

A new system for lineage ablation is based on transgenic expression of a diphtheria toxin receptor (DTR) in mouse cells and application of diphtheria toxin (DT). To streamline this approach, we generated Cre-inducible DTR transgenic mice (iDTR) in which Cre-mediated excision of a STOP cassette renders cells sensitive to DT. We tested the iDTR strain by crossing to the T cell- and B cell-specific CD4-Cre and CD19-Cre strains, respectively, and observed efficient ablation of T and B cells after exposure to DT. In MOGi-Cre/iDTR double transgenic mice expressing Cre recombinase in oligodendrocytes, we observed myelin loss after intraperitoneal DT injections. Thus, DT crosses the blood-brain barrier and promotes cell ablation in the central nervous system. Notably, we show that the developing DT-specific antibody response is weak and not neutralizing, and thus does not impede the efficacy of DT. Our results validate the use of iDTR mice as a tool for cell ablation in vivo.

Effects of local extraneural application of diphtheria toxin on the sciatic nerves of normal and protein deprived rats

Diphtheria toxin was locally administered around the sciatic nerves of normal and protein deprived rats aged 3, 6, 12, and 26 weeks in order to investigate the permeability of the barriers enveloping the nerves. At all ages the rats developed a reversible hind limb paralysis linked to a severe segmental demyelination, indicating passage of the toxin into the endoneurium. From 6 weeks of age the pattern of reaction differed between the protein deprived and control rats. The differences are interpreted as being partly dependent on less efficient protective barriers of the sciatic nerves of the protein deprived rats.

Modification of the Vaccine Response in Rabbits by the Application of Diphtheria Toxin to the Vaccination Site

Modification of the Vaccine Response in Rabbits by the Application of Diphtheria Toxin to the Vaccination Site