Panel Of Cell Types Research Articles

Toxic responses of metabolites produced by Ostreopsis cf. ovata on a panel of cell types

Blooms of the dinoflagellate Ostreopsis cf. ovata are regularly associated with human intoxications that are attributed to ovatoxins (OVTXs), the main toxic compounds produced by this organism and close analogs to palytoxin (PlTX). Unlike for PlTX, information on OVTXs'toxicity are scarce due to the absence of commercial standards. Extracts from two cultures of Mediterranean strains of O. cf. ovata (MCCV54 and MCCV55), two fractions containing or not OVTXs (prepared from the MCCV54 extract) and OVTX-a and -d (isolated from the MCCV55 extract) were generated. These chemical samples and PlTX were tested on a panel of cell types from several organs and tissues (skin, intestine, lung, liver and nervous system). The MCCV55 extract, containing a 2-fold higher amount of OVTXs than MCCV54 extract, was shown to be more cytotoxic on all the cell lines and more prone to increase interleukin-8 (IL-8) release in keratinocytes. The fraction containing OVTXs was also cytotoxic on the cell lines tested but induced IL-8 release only in liver cells. Unexpectedly, the cell lines tested showed the same sensitivity to the fraction that does not contain OVTXs. With this fraction, a pro-inflammatory effect was shown both in lung and liver cells. The level of cytotoxicity was similar for OVTX-a and –d, except on intestinal and skin cells where a weak difference of toxicity was observed. Among the 3 toxins, only PlTX induced a pro-inflammatory effect mostly on keratinocytes. These results suggest that the ubiquitous Na+/K+ ATPase target of PlTX is likely shared with OVTX-a and -d, although the differences in pro-inflammatory effect must be explained by other mechanisms.

Invariant TAD Boundaries Constrain Cell-Type-Specific Looping Interactions between Promoters and Distal Elements around the CFTR Locus

Three-dimensional genome structure plays an important role in gene regulation. Globally, chromosomes are organized into active and inactive compartments while, at the gene level, looping interactions connect promoters to regulatory elements. Topologically associating domains (TADs), typically several hundred kilobases in size, form an intermediate level of organization. Major questions include how TADs are formed and how they are related to looping interactions between genes and regulatory elements. Here we performed a focused 5C analysis of a 2.8 Mb chromosome 7 region surrounding CFTR in a panel of cell types. We find that the same TAD boundaries are present in all cell types, indicating that TADs represent a universal chromosome architecture. Furthermore, we find that these TAD boundaries are present irrespective of the expression and looping of genes located between them. In contrast, looping interactions between promoters and regulatory elements are cell-type specific and occur mostly within TADs. This is exemplified by the CFTR promoter that in different cell types interacts with distinct sets of distal cell-type-specific regulatory elements that are all located within the same TAD. Finally, we find that long-range associations between loci located in different TADs are also detected, but these display much lower interaction frequencies than looping interactions within TADs. Interestingly, interactions between TADs are also highly cell-type-specific and often involve loci clustered around TAD boundaries. These data point to key roles of invariant TAD boundaries in constraining as well as mediating cell-type-specific long-range interactions and gene regulation.

Matrix stiffness reverses the effect of actomyosin tension on cell proliferation

The stiffness of the extracellular matrix exerts powerful effects on cell proliferation and differentiation, but the mechanisms transducing matrix stiffness into cellular fate decisions remain poorly understood. Two widely reported responses to matrix stiffening are increases in actomyosin contractility and cell proliferation. To delineate their relationship, we modulated cytoskeletal tension in cells grown across a physiological range of matrix stiffnesses. On both synthetic and naturally derived soft matrices, and across a panel of cell types, we observed a striking reversal of the effect of inhibiting actomyosin contractility, switching from the attenuation of proliferation on rigid substrates to the robust promotion of proliferation on soft matrices. Inhibiting contractility on soft matrices decoupled proliferation from cytoskeletal tension and focal adhesion organization, but not from cell spread area. Our results demonstrate that matrix stiffness and actomyosin contractility converge on cell spreading in an unexpected fashion to control a key aspect of cell fate.

Selective targeting of gene transfer to vascular endothelial cells by use of peptides isolated by phage display.

Gene transfer to vascular cells is a highly inefficient and nonselective process, defined by the lack of specific cell-surface receptors for both nonviral and viral gene delivery vectors. We used filamentous phage display to isolate a panel of peptides that have the ability to bind selectively and efficiently to quiescent human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) with reduced or negligible binding to nonendothelial cells, including vascular smooth muscle cells and hepatocytes. By direct biopanning on HUVECs and a second approach involving preclearing steps before panning on HUVECs, we isolated and sequenced 140 individual phages and identified 59 peptides. We selected 7 candidates for further investigation by secondary screening of homogeneous phages on a panel of cell types. Using adenovirus-mediated gene transfer as a model gene delivery system, we cloned the peptide SIGYPLP and the positive control peptide KKKKKKK upstream of the S11e single-chain Fv ("adenobody") directed against the knob domain of the adenovirus to create fusion proteins. Adenovirus-mediated gene transfer via fiber-dependent infection was blocked with S11e, whereas inclusion of the KKKKKKK peptide retargeted gene transfer. The peptide SIGYPLP, however, retargeted gene delivery specifically to endothelial cells with a significantly enhanced efficiency over nontargeted adenovirus and without transduction of nontarget cells. Our study demonstrates the feasibility of using small, novel peptides isolated via phage display to target gene delivery specifically and efficiently to HUVECs and highlights their use for retargeting both viral and nonviral gene transfer to vascular endothelial cells for future clinical applications.

Regulation of lymphocyte pseudopodia formation by triggering the integrin alpha 4/beta 1.

Video microscopy and digital imaging were used to quantitatively analyze lymphocyte adhesion and formation of pseudopodia on the extracellular matrix protein fibronectin (FN). A morphology kinetics assay comparing pseudopodial extension values over a 24-h period showed that HPB-ALL T leukemic cells undergo a wave of morphologic change, returning to a round shape after 8 h. Using anti-alpha 4 and anti-alpha 5 mAbs and a panel of cell types that are single or double positive for expression of the alpha 4/beta 1 and alpha 5/beta 1 FN binding integrins, it was determined that cell adhesion to FN was influenced by both beta 1-integrins, whereas alpha 4/beta 1 was found to be the major FN receptor mediating pseudopodia extension. The protein kinase inhibitor staurosporine, the protein kinase C inhibitors calphostin C and chelerythrine, and the protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor herbimycin A blocked pseudopodial extension in HPB-ALL cells. In contrast, two cAMP-dependent protein kinase inhibitors H8 and H89 did not inhibit. Inhibitors of phospholipase A2, lipoxygenases, and cyclooxygenases could block formation of pseudopodia, yet had little or no effect on cell adhesion to FN. The preincubation of cells with arachidonic acid could prevent the inhibition mediated by the reversible phospholipase A2 inhibitor cibacron blue. We conclude that the formation of lymphocyte pseudopodia in response to FN can utilize the adhesive and signaling activities of the alpha 4/beta 1-integrin and the enzymatic activities of protein kinases and phospholipases.

Interplay between IL-2 and IL-4 in human thymocyte differentiation: antagonism or agonism

The integrins have been grouped into three subfamilies based on the utilization of three distinct beta chain subunits, beta 1, beta 2, and beta 3. The recent discovery of beta 4 and beta 5 subunits, and the sharing of alpha subunits between beta subfamilies reflects a greater structural and functional diversity of the integrin supergene family than first anticipated. We exploit integrin gene sequence homology for the identification of a new integrin beta chain. Oligonucleotide probes designed from the highly conserved Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD)-binding domain were used to amplify related transcripts from phytohaemagglutinin-activated human peripheral blood lymphocytes using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Five PCR products encoding beta 1, beta 2, beta 3, beta 4, and a new beta clone, designated beta 7, were identified. Full-length beta 7 cDNA was isolated from an activated human T lymphocyte library, using an oligonucleotide probe constructed from the beta 7 PCR product. The beta 7 cDNA contains a long open reading frame of 2391 bp which encodes a protein sequence consisting of 797 amino acids. The encoded sequence revealed a typical signal peptide, a predominantly hydrophilic 707 amino acid residue domain with 8 N-glycosylation sites, a transmembrane domain, and a C-terminal domain of 52 amino acids. The beta 7 sequence showed homology to known beta 1, beta 2, beta 3, beta 4, and beta 5 sequences of 43, 46, 38, 32, and 37% respectively. Four cysteine-rich homologous repeat sequences were found in beta 7 and were homologous to sequences in other integrin beta subunits, and to domain III of the laminin B chains. Part of this cysteine-rich region is homologous to proteins that contain epidermal growth factor-like repeat sequences. Northern analysis revealed that mature beta 7 mRNA is approximately 3.5 kb in size, and expression was restricted to T and B lymphocytes in the small panel of cell types examined. We conclude that beta 7 may be a new member of the leukocyte cell adhesion molecule subset of integrins, and is a candidate immunoregulatory molecule.

Infection of monocyte-derived macrophages with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). Monocyte-tropic and lymphocyte-tropic strains of HIV-1 show distinctive patterns of replication in a panel of cell types.

To characterize the host range of different strains of HIV-1, we have used four types of cells, primary monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM), primary PBL, a promonocyte cell line (U937), and a CD4+ T cell line (SUP-T1). These cells were infected with three prototype strains of HIV-1, a putative lymphocyte-tropic strain (IIIB), and two putative monocyte-tropic strains (SF162 and DV). Infections were monitored by assays for infectious virus, for cell-free and cell-associated viral antigen (p24), and for the proportion of cells infected by immunohistochemical staining. It was concluded that: (a) the use of four different cell types provides a useful biological matrix for distinguishing the tropism of different strains of HIV-1; this matrix yields more information than the infection of any single cell type. (b) A monocyte-tropic strain of HIV-1, such as strain SF162, shows a reciprocal host range when compared with a lymphocyte-tropic strain such as IIIB; strain SF162 replicates well in primary MDM but not in U937 or SUP-T1 cells, while strain IIIB replicates well in both U937 and SUP-T1 cells but not in MDM. (c) Both lymphocyte-tropic and monocyte-tropic strains of HIV-1 replicate well in PBL. (d) The promonocyte cell line, U937, and the T cell line, SUP-T1, differ markedly from primary cells, such as MDM and PBL, in their ability to support the replication of different strains of HIV-1; these cell lines cannot be used as surrogates for primary cells in host range studies of HIV-1 strains.

A rapid solid-phase enzyme-linked binding assay for screening monoclonal antibodies to cell surface antigens

A solid-phase enzyme-linked binding assay is described for screening monoclonal antibodies to cell surface antigens. E. coli β-galactosidase was coupled to rabbit anti-rat Ig and used to detect the binding of rat monoclonal antibodies to cells which had been fixed to the wells of microtitre plates using a combination of poly- l-lysine and glutaraldehyde. This method was found to be advantageous for the large scale screening of monoclonal antibodies with a panel of cell types, and has been useful in the selection of antibodies which would be candidates for differentiation markers within the human and mouse haemopoietic systems.