Murine Spleen Cells Research Articles

Identification of a Novel Haemophilus parasuis-Specific B Cell Epitope Using Monoclonal Antibody against the OppA Protein

Monoclonal antibody (MAb) 1B3 against Haemophilus parasuis (H. parasuis) was generated by fusing SP2/0 murine myeloma cells and spleen cells from BALB/c mice immunized with the whole-bacterial-cell suspension of H. parasuis HS80 (serotype 5). The MAb 1B3 showed strong reactivity with 15 serotype reference strains of H. parasuis using Dot blot and Western blot analysis. Immunoprecipitation and protein spectral analysis indicated that MAb 1B3 recognized by Oligopeptide permease A (OppA) belongs to the ATP binding cassette transporter family. In addition, a linear B-cell epitope recognized by MAb 1B3 was identified by the screening of a phage-displayed 12-mer random peptide library. Sequence analysis showed that MAb 1B3 was recognized by phages-displaying peptides with the consensus motif KTPSEXR (X means variable amino acids). Its amino acid sequence matched 469KTPAEAR475 of H. parasuis OppA protein. A series of progressively truncated peptides were synthesized to define the minimal region that was required for MAb 1B3 binding. The epitope was highly conserved in OppA protein sequences from the isolated H. parasuis strains, which was confirmed by alignment analysis. Furthermore, the minimal linear epitope was highly specific among 75 different bacterial strains as shown in sequence alignments. These results indicated MAb 1B3 might be potentially used to develop serological diagnostic tools for H. parasuis.

Effects of 3D nanocomposite bioceramic scaffolds on the immune response.

The interaction of new nanocomposite mesoporous glass/hydroxyapatite (MGHA) scaffolds with immune cells involved in both innate and acquired immunity has been studied in vitro as an essential aspect of their biocompatibility assessment. Since the immune response can be affected by the degradation products of bioresorbable scaffolds and scaffold surface changes, both processes have been evaluated. No alterations in proliferation and viability of RAW-264.7 macrophage-like cells were detected after culture on MGHA scaffolds which did not induce cell apoptosis. However, a slight cell size decrease and an intracellular calcium content increase were observed after contact of this cell line with MGHA scaffolds or their extracts. Although no changes in the percentages of RAW cells with low and high contents of reactive oxygen species (ROS) are observed by the treatment with 7 day extracts, this study has revealed modifications of these percentages after direct contact with scaffolds and by the treatment with 24 h extracts, related to the high reactivity/bioactivity of this MGHA nanocomposite at initial times. Furthermore, when normal fresh murine spleen cells were used as an experimental model closer to physiological conditions, no significant alterations in the activation of different immune cell subpopulations were detected in the presence of 24 h MGHA extract. MGHA scaffolds did not affect either the spontaneous apoptosis or intracellular cytokine expression (IL-2, IL-10, IFN-γ, and TNF-α) after 24 h treatment. The results obtained in the present study with murine immune cell subpopulations (macrophages, lymphocytes B, lymphocytes T and natural killer cells) support the biocompatibility of the MGHA material and suggest an adequate host tissue response to their scaffolds upon their implantation.

저선량 감마선 노출에 의한 비장세포의 염증 유발 작용에 대한 연구

Gamma irradiation (<TEX>${\gamma}IR$</TEX>) is widely used for radiotherapy as a treatment of cancer cells although it has a risk to damage normal cells. Inflammation is regarded as one of side effects of <TEX>${\gamma}IR$</TEX> while the effect of low dose of <TEX>${\gamma}IR$</TEX> on inflammation has not been researched well. Here, we investigated the inflammatory responses of low dose of <TEX>${\gamma}IR$</TEX> on murine spleen cells. It was evaluated if <TEX>${\gamma}IR$</TEX> affected the mitogen-induced lymphocyte proliferation, the regulation of various inflammatory cytokines (IFN-<TEX>${\gamma}$</TEX>, IL-2, IL-17, IL-4, IL-10), and the involvement of Ikaros and MAPK/NF-<TEX>${\kappa}B$</TEX> medicated mechanism. Exposure of <TEX>$^{137}Cs-{\gamma}IR$</TEX> below 2 Gy decreased the lymphocytes proliferative response to mitogens (LPS, ConA) except at the lowest dose, 0.05 Gy. IL-17, IL-2 and IL-4 mRNA increased at 0.5 and 2 Gy, but not altered at 0.05 Gy. IL-10, anti-inflammatory cytokine, increased only at 0.05 Gy. In regard to intracellular signaling, p-JNK, p-p38 and p-<TEX>$I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$</TEX> were not changed, whereas the activation of ERK and Ikaros increased at the lowest dose. These results suggest that exposure of <TEX>${\gamma}IR$</TEX> less than 0.5 Gy (or below 0.05 Gy) has beneficial effects as a radiation hormesis on immune function.

Proliferative Activity and Subpopulation Pattern of Cells in Murine Thymus and Spleen on the Model of Graft-Versus-Host Chronic Reaction under Various Diurnal Regimens of IL-2 Administration

We studied the effects of IL-2 administration at different times of day to female B6D2F1 mice with experimental immunopathology, graft-versus-host chronic reaction induced by the administration of lymphoid cells from parental female DBA/2 mice. Recombinant murine IL-2 was injected subcutaneously at 10.00 (group 1) or 16.00 (group 2) after the first cell transfer. Evening administration of IL-2 in contrast to its morning injection prevented cell proliferation in the thymus and spleen, decreased the number of apoptotic splenocytes, significantly stimulated differentiation processes in the thymus, increased the amount of CD4 (+) 25 (high) thymocytes, and decreased the number of CD4 (+) 27 (low) splenocytes. These findings can serve as a prerequisite for the development of chronotherapeutic schemes for immunocorrection.

Separation and characterization of the immunostimulatory components in unpolished rice black vinegar (kurozu)

Unpolished rice black vinegar (kurozu), a traditional Japanese vinegar, is considered to have beneficial health effects. Kurozu is produced via a static fermentation process involving the saccharification of rice by Aspergillus oryzae, alcohol fermentation by Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and the oxidation of ethanol to acetic acid by acetic acid bacteria such as Acetobacter pasteurianus. Since this process requires about 6 months' fermentation and then over a year of aging, most of these organisms die during the production process and so microbial components, which might stimulate the innate immune system, are expected to be present in the vinegar. In this study, we investigated whether microbial components are present in kurozu, and after confirming this we characterized their immunostimulatory activities. Lyophilized kurozu stimulated murine spleen cells to produce tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, at least in part, via Toll-like receptor (TLR) 2 and the Nod-like receptors NOD1 and 2. The active components associated with TLR2 activation were concentrated by Triton X-114-water phase partitioning and hydrophobic interaction chromatography on Octyl Sepharose. TLR4-activating components were also enriched by these methods. The concentrated preparation stimulated murine spleen cells to produce TNF-α and interferon (IFN)-γ. These results indicate that long-term fermented kurozu contains immunostimulatory components and that the TLR2 and TLR4-activating immunostimulatory components of kurozu are hydrophobic. These components might be responsible for the beneficial health effects of kurozu.

Saquinavir-NO inhibits S6 kinase activity, impairs secretion of the encephalytogenic cytokines interleukin-17 and interferon-gamma and ameliorates experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis

NO-hybridization of the HIV protease inhibitor Saquinavir generates a new chemical entity named Saq-NO, that retains the anti-viral activity and exerts lower toxicity. We show that Saq-NO inhibited the generation of various cytokines in ConA-stimulated unfractionated murine spleen cells and rat lymph nodes stimulated with ConA as well as in purified CD4+ T cells in vitro and reduced the circulating levels of cytokines in mice challenged with anti-CD3 antibody. Furthermore, Saq-NO reduced IL-17 and IFN-γ production in myelin basic protein (MBP)-specific cells isolated from rats immunized with MBP. These findings translated well into the in vivo setting as Saq-NO ameliorated the course of the disease in two preclinical models of multiple sclerosis. Our results demonstrate that Saq-NO exerts immunomodulatory effects that warrant studies on its application in autoimmune diseases.

Immunomodulatory effects of the botanical compound LCS101: implications for cancer treatment

ObjectiveTo examine the effects of LSC101, a botanical compound, on adaptive and innate immunity.Materials and methodsLCS101 preparations were tested for batch-to-batch consistency using high-performance liquid chromatography. T-cell activation was quantified in murine spleen cells using 3H-thymidine incorporation, and cytokine production analyzed with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Natural killer cell activity was tested on human blood cells using flow cytometry, and cytotoxicity measured by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide and apoptosis using a FACSCalibur. Effects on interferon-γ production in fluorouracil/doxorubicin-treated mice were tested with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.ResultsHigh-performance liquid chromatography analysis demonstrated batch-to-batch consistency. T-cell proliferation was increased, and a dose-dependent activation of natural killer cells and macrophage tumor necrosis factor-α secretion were observed with LCS101 treatment. Interferon-γ levels, reduced following fluorouracil treatment, were corrected in treated animals. No toxicity or compromised treatment outcomes were associated with LCS101 exposure.ConclusionsLCS101 demonstrated significant effects on a number of immune processes. Further research is needed in order to understand the molecular immunomodulatory pathways affected by this compound, as well as clinical implications for treatment.

Effect of Cordycepin on the Expression of the Inflammatory Cytokines TNF-alpha, IL-6, and IL-17A in C57BL/6 Mice

Culture supernatants of splenocytes from C57BL/6 mice were exposed to 0.3, 1.0, and 3.0 microg/ml cordycepin plus 3.0 microg/ml lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to investigate the effects of cordycepin (3'-deoxyadenosine) on the production of inflammatory cytokines. Co-administration of 3.0 microg/ml cordycepin with LPS in cultured murine spleen cells significantly diminished the expression of the inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in a time-dependent manner. Expression of the inflammatory cytokine IL-17A was substantially down-regulated in a time- dependent manner at all cordycepin concentrations. These findings suggest that cordycepin down-regulates the immediate hypersensitivity reaction stimulated by LPS.

The major allergen of the Parietaria pollen contains an LPS‐binding region with immuno‐modulatory activity

The major allergens in Parietaria pollen, Par j 1 and Par j 2, have been identified as lipid transfer proteins. The family of the Par j 1 allergens is composed of two isoforms, which differ by the presence of a 37 amino acid peptide (Par37) exclusive to the Par j 1.0101 isoform. The goal of this study was to elucidate the biological properties of the Par37 peptide. In silico analysis, spectrofluorimetric experiments and in vitro cell culture assays were used to identify the biological properties of Par37. In addition, a mouse model of sensitization was used to study the influence of Par37 in the murine immune response. In silico analysis predicted that Par37 displays characteristics of a host defence peptide. Spectrofluorimetric analysis, real-time PCR and ELISA assays demonstrated that Par37 possesses an LPS-binding activity influencing cell signalling in vitro. In RAW264.7 cells, LPS-induced IL-6 and TNF-α transcription and translation were inhibited after preincubation with Par37. Consistent with these data, inhibition of IFN-γ secretion was observed in murine spleen cells and in human PBMC. Finally, mice immunized with the two Par j 1 isoforms differing in the presence or absence of the Par37 peptide showed different immunological behaviours in vivo. This study demonstrates that the Par j 1.0101 allergen displays LPS-binding activity due to the presence of a 37 amino acid COOH-terminal region and that this region is capable of influencing cytokine and antibody responses in vitro and in vivo.

Morphology and quantitative composition of hematopoietic cells in murine bone marrow and spleen of healthy subjects

Laboratory mice play an outstanding role in modeling human development and disease. In contrast to human leukemia, the spleen is involved in almost all cases, and the bone marrow is only variably involved in murine models. Although mice have been used for medical research for over 100years, there are only few reports with a small number of cases looking at morphology and quantitative composition of murine hematopoietic cells in the bone marrow of non-transplanted animals of most strains. To our knowledge, there is not even a single report describing the splenogram in C57BL/6J mice, one of the most commonly used strains for medical research. The present study illustrates the morphology of the hematopoietic cells in the bone marrow and spleen of non-treated C57BL/6J mice and establishes the murine myelogram from the largest healthy C57BL/6J cohort reported to date. Furthermore, we present the first murine splenogram described for C57BL/6J mice. Our study supports the acceptance of the presence of >5% blast cells as providing clear evidence of abnormality in bone marrow like in humans. In addition, we are the first to show <1% blast cells in the normal spleen. Interestingly, classical dysplastic changes were rare in normal healthy mice. Our study of the bone marrow and spleen of healthy non-transplanted animals provides reference ranges of each cell type and for the myeloid/erythroid ratio, which can be used to interpret preclinical gene therapy data, leukemogenesis, and hematopoiesis studies, and may improve the quality of such analyses.

Vaccination with Plasmid DNA Encoding a Mutant Toxic Shock Syndrome Toxin-1 Ameliorates Toxin-induced Lethal Shock in Mice

Staphylococcal toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1), a superantigenic toxin produced by Staphylococcus (S.) aureus, is a major cause of septic shock and toxic shock syndrome. To investigate whether vaccination with a plasmid DNA encoding a non-toxic mutant TSST-1 (mTSST-1) can protect mice against wild-type TSST-1-induced lethal shock, the mice were intranasally immunized with the plasmid DNA (named pcDNA-mTSST-1) plus a mucosal adjuvant, a non-toxic mutant labile toxin (mLT). After the immunization, the mice were challenged with TSST-1 and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The survival rate of mice immunized with pcDNA-mTSST-1 plus mLT was higher than that of the control mice immunized with PBS alone, mLT alone, pcDNA-mTSST-1 alone, or a parent plasmid plus mLT. The titers of interferon-γ (IFN-γ) in the sera of mice immunized with pcDNA-mTSST-1 plus mLT were significantly lower than those of the mLT control mice. Immunization with pcDNA-mTSST-1 plus mLT increased the serum levels of TSST-1-specific antibodies, especially immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1) and IgG2a subclasses. Furthermore, the sera obtained from mice immunized with pcDNA-mTSST-1 plus mLT significantly inhibited the TSST-1-induced secretion of IFN-γ and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in murine spleen cells in vitro. These results indicate that immunization with pcDNA-mTSST-1 plus mLT provides protection against the lethal toxic shock of mice induced by wild-type TSST-1. The protective effect could be due to TSST-1-specific neutralizing antibodies as well as the inhibition of IFN-γ and TNF-α secretions. Since TSST-1 is commonly released by invasive S. aureus, the pcDNA-mTSST-1 should be useful in preventing toxin-induced shock resulting from S. aureus infection.

English

In the present study, we investigated the immunoregulatory effects of&nbsp;Stemona tuberose(ST) in an&nbsp;in&nbsp;vitro&nbsp;and in ovalbumin (OVA)-induced asthma model. Murine spleen cells were isolated from normal and OVA-treated mice and the cytokine levels from T-cells in supernatants were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The results of the&nbsp;in vitro&nbsp;experiments indicated that ST modulated the balance between Th1 and Th2 cytokines.&nbsp;In addition, in the&nbsp;in vivo&nbsp;experiments we showed that ST significantly increased the levels of interleukin-2 (IL-2) and interferon-&gamma; (IFN-&gamma;) and decreased those of IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13, as compared with OVA control. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was carried out to determine the GATA-3/T-bet ratio. Results showed that ST modulated the Th2/Th1 imbalance by inhibiting GATA-3 and enhancing T-bet. The hematoxylin and eosin (H&amp;E) stain studies on lung tissues indicated that ST had potential inhibitory ability on inflammation cells. Taken together, these findings suggest that the ethanol extract of ST might have compounds with immunomodulation potential. &nbsp; Key words:&nbsp;Stemona tuberose, immunoregulation, allergic asthma, T-cell cytokines.

Activated Apoptotic Cells Induce Dendritic Cell Maturation via Engagement of Toll-like Receptor 4 (TLR4), Dendritic Cell-specific Intercellular Adhesion Molecule 3 (ICAM-3)-grabbing Nonintegrin (DC-SIGN), and β2 Integrins

Dendritic cells (DCs) are professional antigen-presenting cells playing a central role in connecting innate and adaptive immunity. Maturation signals are, however, required for DCs to undergo phenotypic and functional changes to acquire a fully competent antigen-presenting capacity. We previously reported that activated apoptotic peripheral lymphocytes (ActApo) provide activation/maturation signals to human monocyte-derived DCs. In this paper, we have characterized the signaling pathways and molecules involved in ActApo-mediated DC maturation. We found that both cellular and supernatant fractions from ActApo are required for DC maturation signaling. ActApoSup-induced CD80 and CD86 expression was significantly blocked in the presence of neutralizing antibodies against tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). Cell-cell contact-dependent signaling involved β2 integrins, dendritic cell-specific ICAM-3-grabbing nonintegrin (DC-SIGN), and TLR4 because ActApo-induced up-regulation of the maturation markers CD80 and CD86 was significantly inhibited in the presence of neutralizing antibodies against CD18, CD11a, CD11b, and DC-SIGN as well as TLR4. The role of TLR4 was further confirmed by silencing of TLR4 in DCs. In addition, the endogenous adjuvant effect exerted by activated apoptotic splenocytes (ActApoSp) was reduced after immunization with human serum albumin in TLR4(-/-) mice. We detected activation of multiple signaling pathways and transcription factors in DCs upon co-culture with ActApo, including p38, JNK, PI3K-Akt, Src family kinases, NFκB p65, and AP1 transcription factor family members c-Jun and c-Fos, demonstrating the complex interactions occurring between ActApo and DCs. These studies provide important mechanistic insight into the responses of DCs during encounter with cells undergoing immunogenic cell death.

Antitumor and Immunostimulating Activities of Elfvingia applanata Hot Water Extract on Sarcoma 180 Tumor-bearing ICR Mice

Elfvingia applanata, a medicinal mushroom belonging to Basidiomycota, has been used in the effort to cure cancers of the esophagus and stomach, and is also known to have inhibitory effects on hepatitis B virus infection. The hot water soluble fraction (as Fr. HW) was extracted from fruiting bodies of the mushroom. In vitro cytotoxicity tests showed that hot water extract was not cytotoxic against cancer cell lines such as Sarcoma 180, HT-29, HepG2, and TR at concentrations of 10~2,000 μg/mL. Intraperitoneal injection with Fr. HW resulted in a life prolongation effect of 45.2% in mice previously inoculated with Sarcoma 180. Treatment of Fr. HW resulted in a 2.53-fold increase in the numbers of murine spleen cells at a concentration of 50 μg/mL, compared with control. Incubation of murine spleen cells with Fr. HW at a concentration of 500 μg/mL resulted in improved immune-potwntiating activity of B lymphocytes through an 8.3-folds increase in alkaline phosphatase activity, compared with control. Fr. HW generated 12.5 μM of nitric oxide (NO) when cultured with RAW 264.7, a mouse macrophage cell line, at the concentration of 50 μg/mL, while lipopolysaccharide, a positive control, produced 15.2 μM of NO. Therefore, the results suggested that antitumor activities of Fr. HW from E. applanata might, in part, be due to host mediated immunostimulating activity.

Immunostimulatory properties of the bacterial extract OM-89 in vitro and in vivo

The therapeutic agent OM-89 (Uro-Vaxom) contains lyophilized immunostimulating fractions from 18 Escherichia coil strains. It has been shown to provide protection against recurrent urinary tract infections in humans and against bacterial infections in mice. Here the immunostimulatory properties of OM-89 were investigated by in vitro and in vivo assays. In vitro the activation of murine spleen cells by the AlamarBlue assay was determined. OM-89 was effective in stimulating the metabolism of spleen cells within a concentration range of 0.625-2.5 mg/ml. The activation of murine bone marrow-derived macrophages by OM-89 was shown by the induction of NO production; OM-89 was a most effective stimulant at concentrations around 6 mg/ml. In the human system, the effect of OM-89 was tested in vitro:metabolic activity of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) was stimulated starting at concentrations of approx. 250 microg/ml, and the spontaneous apoptosis of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) was reduced starting at OM-89 concentrations of approx. 100 microg/ml. Finally, in a mouse model, the in vivo protection of mice against infection with Salmonella typhimurium after the oral administration of OM-89 was tested (100 mg in a volume of 0.5 ml once a day for 10 consecutive days). The extract proved to be effective: 90% of the OM-89-treated animals survived compared to 58% of the untreated control group.

Activation of Notch Signaling Is An Early Event in the Development of PML-Rara-Induced Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia (APL)

Abstract 2468Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL, FAB M3) is characterized by the presence of the t(15;17) translocation, resulting in production of the oncogenic transcription factor PML-RARA. We previously reported a gene expression signature of 1121 annotated genes that distinguish APL from the other FAB subtypes and normal promyelocytes (Payton et al, JCI 2009). Within this signature, we identified the Notch ligand JAG1 as being overexpressed in APL samples compared to both other AML subtypes (APL/AML=4.2, FDR<0.5%) and normal promyelocytes (APL/pros=5.66, FDR<0.5%). We then measured JAG1 expression in mouse and cellular models of APL. High levels of JAG1 mRNA and protein were found in both zinc treated PR9 cells (which contain a zinc inducible PML-RARA cassette), and in NB4 cells, a human APL cell line. APL cells derived from the mCG-PML-RARA knockin mouse overexpressed Jag1 mRNA compared to wildtype promyelocytes (APL/pros=10.4, p<0.01). Additionally, Jag1 protein was readily detected in up to 90% of murine APL cells by flow cytometry. Collectively, these results indicate that JAG1 overexpression is a common event in both human and murine APL pathogenesis.Hypothesizing that JAG1 overexpression could lead to Notch signaling in APL cells, we measured Notch signaling in human and murine APL cells. The Notch receptors Notch-1 and Notch-2, the components of the gamma secretase complex, and the transcriptional coactivators of Notch are highly expressed in nearly all human APL samples, suggesting that APL cells are capable of Notch signaling. Using bioinformatic approaches, we found that three previously defined activated Notch signatures were significantly enriched in APL cells (FDR=0.00) and also in PR9 and NB4 cells. Protein levels of cleaved Notch-1 increased in induced PR9 cells with the same kinetics as JAG1 protein, peaking at 16 hours post-induction. In addition, flow cytometry demonstrated the presence of cleaved Notch protein in PR9 and NB4 cells, and both primary and immortalized murine APL samples. To define the consequences of inhibiting Notch signaling in APL cells, we cultured primary murine APL cells in the presence of gamma secretase inhibitors; colony formation in 6/9 tumors was significantly inhibited (p<0.05). Growth of primary murine marrow and spleen cells was unaffected under identical culture conditions.Finally, we investigated the role of Notch signaling in APL pathogenesis in young mCG-PR mice prior to the development of leukemia. Marrow derived progenitors from PML-RARA mice replate serially in methylcellulose cultures, in contrast to wildtype marrow cells, which do not replate. In contrast to primary tumor cells, which were variably dependent on Notch signaling, preleukemic cells were uniformly dependent on Notch signaling for replating activity. In the presence of gamma secretase inhibitors, the replating phenotype is significantly decreased (p<0.01). In contrast, colony formation by wildtype cells is unaffected by inhibition of Notch signaling. Similarly, when Notch signaling in primary marrow cells was genetically inhibited by retroviral transduction of a dominant negative mastermind construct (DNMAML), colony formation by PML-RARA cells was significantly decreased at the first, second and third replatings compared to GFP control cells (p<0.01). Again, wildtype marrow colony formation was unaffected by DNMAML transduction. Importantly, wild type marrow cells transduced with a JAG1 expressing retrovirus did not acquire a replating phenotype, nor did animals transplanted with JAG1 expressing marrow develop leukemia. In conclusion, we have demonstrated overexpression of JAG1 and activation of Notch signaling in human and murine APL cells, and have shown that Notch signaling may play a role in the early pathogenesis of APL. Collectively, these results support a model in which PML-RARA induces the self-renewal of hematopoietic progenitors via a Notch signaling pathway, which may be a critical early step in APL pathogenesis. Disclosures:No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Circadian expression of clock genes in mouse macrophages, dendritic cells, and B cells.

In mammals, circadian and daily rhythms influence nearly all aspects of physiology, ranging from behavior to gene expression. Functional molecular clocks have been described in the murine spleen and splenic NK cells. The aim of our study was to investigate the existence of molecular clock mechanisms in other immune cells. Therefore, we measured the circadian changes in gene expression of clock genes (Per1, Per2, Bmal1, and Clock) and clock-controlled transcription factors (Rev-erbα and Dbp) in splenic enriched macrophages, dendritic cells, and B cells in both mice entrained to a light-dark cycle and under constant environmental conditions. Our study reveals the existence of functional molecular clock mechanisms in splenic macrophages, dendritic cells, and B cells.

Production of Autoantibodies by Murine B-1a Cells Stimulated with Helicobacter pylori Urease through Toll-Like Receptor 2 Signaling

Helicobacter pylori infection is associated with several autoimmune diseases, in which autoantibody-producing B cells must be activated. Among these B cells, CD5-positive B-1a cells from BALB/c mice were confirmed to secrete autoantibodies when cocultured with purified H. pylori urease in the absence of T cells. To determine the mechanisms for autoantibody production, CD5-positive B-1a cells were sorted from murine spleen cells and stimulated with either purified H. pylori urease or H. pylori coated onto plates (referred to hereafter as plate-coated H. pylori), and autoantibody production was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Complete urease was not secreted from H. pylori but was visually expressed over the bacterium-like endotoxin. Urease-positive plated-coated H. pylori stimulated B-1a cells to produce autoantibodies, although urease-deficient isotype-matched H. pylori did not. Autoantibody secretion by B-1a cells was inhibited when bacteria were pretreated with anti-H. pylori urease-specific antibody having neutralizing ability against urease enzymatic activity but not with anti-H. pylori urease-specific antibody without neutralizing capacity. The B-1a cells externally express various Toll-like receptors (TLRs): TLR1, TLR2, TLR4, and TLR6. Among the TLRs, blocking of TLR2 on B-1a cells with a specific monoclonal antibody (MAb), T2.5, inhibited autoantibody secretion when B-1a cells were stimulated with plate-coated H. pylori or H. pylori urease. Moreover, B-1a cells from TLR2-knockout mice did not produce those autoantibodies. The present study provides evidence that functional urease expressed on the surface of H. pylori will directly stimulate B-1a cells via innate TLR2 to produce various autoantibodies and may induce autoimmune disorders.

Lactococcus strains treated with heat and hen-egg-white lysozyme induce abundant interleukin-12 production by J774.1 macrophages and murine spleen cells

The IL-12–inducing ability of lactic acid bacteria could be a critical index of immunomodulatory activity, especially in promoting T-helper-1 responses and in suppressing T-helper-2-mediated allergic responses. We aimed to develop a simple method for enhancing the IL-12-inducing ability of bacteria. We examined the in vitro effects of strains of lysozyme-modified Lactococcus (ML-LYS), prepared by heat treatment of the Lactococcus strain in the presence of lysozyme, on the ability of mouse macrophage-like J774.1 cells and spleen cells to produce IL-12. An IL-12–inducing ability greater than that of heat-killed bacteria was shown by 41 of 46 ML-LYS strains in J774.1 cells and by all 46 ML-LYS strains in mouse spleen cells. In contrast, bacteria modified by α-lactalbumin, β-lactoglobulin, or ovalbumin did not enhance IL-12 production in J774.1 cells. Microscopically, ML-LYS showed stronger resistance to lysozyme and macrophage digestion than did heat-killed bacteria or the other modified bacteria. Addition of chitotriose, a lysozyme inhibitor, enhanced IL-12 production by J774.1 cells stimulated with heat-killed bacteria. Therefore, enhancement of resistance to lysozyme may be a key factor in the strong IL-12–inducing ability of ML-LYS. These findings have important implications for the design of dairy products that have an immunomodulatory effect using the modified bacteria.

Immunomodulatory Effects of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium on Both Murine and Human Mitogen-Activated T Cells

Background: Beneficial effects of probiotics have been reported for patients with allergic diseases and intestinal disorders. There is increasing interest in studying the role of different strains or combined probiotic administration on immunoregulation. In this study, we investigated whether probiotics modulate the immune response through regulating T cell proliferation and differentiation. Methods: We examined the effect of probiotic I (a combination of Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidus) and probiotic II (a combination of L. acidophilus and B. infantis) on cell survival and proliferation, the progression of the cell cycle, and the production of Th1/Th2 cytokines by mitogen-stimulated murine spleen cells and human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Results: Our experimental results showed that high concentrations (≧1 × 10⁶ CFU/ml) of probiotic I or II inhibited mitogen-induced cell proliferation and arrested the cell cycle at the G0/G1 stage in both mitogen-stimulated spleen cells and PBMCs. In the results of low concentrations (<1 × 10⁶ CFU/ml), probiotic I or II enhanced the production of IFN-γ but inhibited the production of IL-4. Our results indicated that high concentrations of probiotic I or II treatment could attenuate mitogen-induced overactive immune responses. On the other hand, low concentrations of probiotic I or II treatment could promote a shift in the Th1/Th2 balance toward Th1-skewed immunity. Conclusion: Dose selection is an important issue for probiotic studies. Our results indicated that probiotics have beneficial effects on regulating T cell-mediated immune responses by attenuating mitogen-induced overactive immune responses and promoting Th1 immune responses.