The Journal of Experimental Medicine

Kehrl, J H; Wakefield, L M; Roberts, A B; Jakowlew, S; Alvarez-Mon, M; Derynck, R; Sporn, M B; Fauci, A S

doi: 10.1084/jem.163.5.1037pmid: 2871125

This study examines the potential role of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) in the regulation of human T lymphocyte proliferation, and proposes that TGF-beta is an important autoregulatory lymphokine that limits T lymphocyte clonal expansion, and that TGF-beta production by T lymphocytes is important in T cell interactions with other cell types. TGF-beta was shown to inhibit IL-2-dependent T cell proliferation. The addition of picograms amounts of TGF-beta to cultures of IL-2-stimulated human T lymphocytes suppressed DNA synthesis by 60-80%. A potential mechanism of this inhibition was found. TGF-beta inhibited IL-2-induced upregulation of the IL-2 and transferrin receptors. Specific high-affinity receptors for TGF-beta were found both on resting and activated T cells. Cellular activation was shown to result in a five- to sixfold increase in the number of TGF-beta receptors on a per cell basis, without a change in the affinity of the receptor. Finally, the observations that activated T cells produce TGF-beta mRNA and that TGF-beta biologic activity is present in supernatants conditioned by activated T cells is strong evidence that T cells themselves are a source of TGF-beta. Resting T cells were found to have low to undetectable levels of TGF-beta mRNA, while PHA activation resulted in a rapid increase in TGF-beta mRNA levels (within 2 h). Both T4 and T8 lymphocytes were found to make mRNA for TGF-beta upon activation. Using both a soft agar assay and a competitive binding assay, TGF-beta biologic activity was found in supernatants conditioned by T cells; T cell activation resulted in a 10-50-fold increase in TGF-beta production. Thus, TGF-beta may be an important antigen-nonspecific regulator of human T cell proliferation, and important in T cell interaction with other cell types whose cellular functions are modulated by TGF-beta.

Primi, D; Drapier, A M; Cazenave, P A

doi: 10.1084/jem.163.5.1051pmid: 3084699

Using mAb that selectively recognize the various allelic forms of the VHT15 and Vk21D-E genes' products, we analyzed the influence of VH and Vk polymorphism on the probability of expression of these gene segments. Our data show that the frequency to which the VHT15 gene product becomes available in the preimmune repertoire is strongly influenced by the polymorphism of the relevant structural gene, suggesting therefore that VH genes cannot be randomly used in the various strains. Contrary to this, the frequency of Vk21D-E+ clones is similar in all mouse strains tested, and in all cases is higher than the frequency of VHT15 clones. This observation strongly suggests that Vk genes can be randomly expressed, and/or that their number is lower than that of their VH counterpart. Finally, analysis of the specificity associated to the expression of the VHT15 segment revealed that VH polymorphism strongly influences not only the probability of expression of each V gene, but also the specificity of the antibodies on which these VH genes are used.

Miettinen, A; Stow, J L; Mentone, S; Farquhar, M G

doi: 10.1084/jem.163.5.1064pmid: 2939168

Antibodies specific for the core protein of basement membrane HSPG (Mr = 130,000) were administered to rats by intravenous injection, and the pathologic consequences on the kidney were determined at 3 min to 2 mo postinjection. Controls were given antibodies against gp330 (the pathogenic antigen of Heymann nephritis) or normal rabbit IgG. The injected anti-HSPG(GBM) IgG disappeared rapidly (by 1 d) from the circulation. The urinary excretion of albumin increased in a dose-dependent manner during the first 4 d, was increased 10-fold at 1-2 mo, but remained moderate (mean = 12 mg/24 h). By immunofluorescence the anti-HSPG(GBM) was seen to bind rapidly (by 3 min) to all glomerular capillaries, and by immunoperoxidase staining the anti-HSPG was seen to bind exclusively to the laminae rarae of the GBM where it remained during the entire 2-mo observation period. C3 was detected in glomeruli immediately after the injection (3 min), where it bound exclusively to the lamina rara interna; the amount of C3 bound increased up to 2 h but decreased rapidly thereafter, and was not detectable after 4 d. Mononuclear and PMN leukocytes accumulated in glomerular capillaries, adhered to the capillary wall, and extended pseudopodia through the endothelial fenestrae to contact in the LRI of the GBM where the immune deposits and C3 were located. At 1 wk postinjection, staining for C3 reappeared in the glomeruli of some of the rats, and by this time most of the rats, including controls injected with normal rabbit IgG, had circulating anti-rabbit IgG (by ELISA) and linear deposits of rat IgG along the GBM (by immunofluorescence). Beginning at 9 d, there was progressive subepithelial thickening of the GBM which in some places was two to three times its normal width. This thickening was due to the laying down of a new layer of basement membrane-like material on the epithelial side of the GBM, which gradually displaced the old basement membrane layers toward the endothelium. The results show that the core proteins of this population of basement membrane HSPG (Mr = 130,000), which are ubiquitous components of basement membranes, are exposed to the circulation and can bind anti-HSPG(GBM) IgG in the laminae rarae of the GBM. Binding of these antibodies to the GBM leads to changes (C3 deposition, leukocyte adherence, moderate proteinuria, GBM thickening) considered typical of the acute phase of anti-GBM glomerulonephritis. Antibody binding interferes with the normal turnover of the GBM, presumably by affecting the biosynthesis and/or degradation of basement membrane components.

Lopez, A F; Begley, C G; Williamson, D J; Warren, D J; Vadas, M A; Sanderson, C J

doi: 10.1084/jem.163.5.1085pmid: 3486243

A purified murine lymphokine, eosinophil differentiation factor (EDF), was found to be a selective stimulus for the clonal proliferation and differentiation of murine eosinophil progenitor cells, establishing it as the murine eosinophil colony-stimulating factor (Eo-CSF). EDF was also active on human eosinophil progenitors and mature blood eosinophils, but had no effect on neutrophil or macrophage precursor cells, nor on blood neutrophils. In culture of human bone marrow cells, EDF stimulated equal numbers and equal sizes of eosinophil colonies to develop when compared with human placental conditioned medium, a source of human CSFs, suggesting that all responsive progenitor cells were stimulated. Clone transfer experiments and the linear relationship between number of bone marrow cells plated and colonies produced confirmed that the action of EDF was directly on eosinophil progenitor cells. EDF increased the capacity of human blood eosinophils, but not neutrophils, to kill antibody-coated tumor cells and to phagocytose serum-opsonized yeast cells. This functional activation was associated with the enhanced expression of functional antigens (GFA-1, GFA-2, and the receptor for C3bi) on eosinophils. The possession by EDF (Eo-CSF) of all the properties expected of a human eosinophil CSF raises the possibility that a human analog of this molecule exists, and is involved in the regulation of production and function of human eosinophils in vivo.

Cheever, M A; Thompson, D B; Klarnet, J P; Greenberg, P D

doi: 10.1084/jem.163.5.1100pmid: 3084700

Mice bearing disseminated syngeneic FBL-3 leukemia were treated with cyclophosphamide plus long term-cultured T cells immune to FBL-3. The cultured T cells for therapy had been induced to grow in vitro for 62 d by intermittent stimulation with irradiated FBL-3. At the time of therapy, such antigen-driven long term-cultured T cells were greatly expanded in number, proliferated in vitro in response to FBL-3, and were specifically cytotoxic. Following adoptive transfer, donor T cells persisting in the host were identified and counted using donor and host mice congenic for the T cell marker Thy-1. The results show that antigen-driven long term-cultured T cells proliferated rapidly in vivo, distributed widely in host lymphoid organs, and were effective in tumor therapy. Moreover, the already rapid in vivo growth rate of donor T cells could be augmented by administration of exogenous IL-2. When cured mice were examined 120 d after therapy, donor L3T4+ T cells and donor Lyt-2+ T cells could be found in large numbers in host ascites, spleen, and mesenteric and axillary lymph nodes. The persisting donor T cells proliferated in vitro, and became specifically cytotoxic in response to FBL-3, demonstrating that antigen-driven long term-cultured T cells can persist long term in vivo and provide immunologic memory.

Catterall, J R; Sharma, S D; Remington, J S

doi: 10.1084/jem.163.5.1113pmid: 3009680

We have found that normal alveolar macrophages can kill an intracellular parasite by a mechanism that does not involve toxic metabolites of oxygen. We studied the interaction between Toxoplasma gondii and rat alveolar macrophages in vitro. We were interested in Toxoplasma because it causes pneumonia in immunosuppressed patients but not in healthy individuals, and we chose the rat because it resembles immunocompetent human subjects in being resistant to T. gondii. Resident rat alveolar macrophages could kill large numbers of T. gondii. This occurred without a respiratory burst as judged by intracellular reduction of nitroblue tetrazolium and quantitative release of superoxide. Furthermore, scavengers of toxic oxygen metabolites had no effect on the toxoplasmacidal activity of the alveolar macrophages, nor did prior exhaustion of their respiratory burst with PMA. Whereas acid pH (e.g., 4.5-6.0) rapidly kills extracellular T. gondii, raising of the intralysosomal acid pH of rat alveolar macrophages by incubating them with weak bases did not inhibit their ability to kill T. gondii. Killing of Toxoplasma occurred within 1 h of initial exposure to the alveolar macrophages. However, there was no evidence that killing preceded ingestion; Toxoplasma attached to the surface of the cell appeared viable, and when phagocytosis was blocked with sodium fluoride the organisms survived. These results indicate that rat alveolar macrophages possess a powerful nonoxidative microbicidal mechanism, which is distinct from acidification of the phagolysosome but which probably involves phagosome formation. This mechanism may be clinically relevant, for we have recently observed that human alveolar macrophages also kill T. gondii by an oxygen-independent process.

Rothlein, R; Springer, T A

doi: 10.1084/jem.163.5.1132pmid: 3517218

Lymphocytes become adherent and aggregate after stimulation with phorbol esters such as PMA. Time-lapse video showed that aggregating cells were motile and exhibited vigorous pseudopodial movements. Adhesion sites were initiated between pseudopodia of neighboring cells, and then moved to the uropod. PMA-stimulated aggregation by EBV-transformed B cell lines, SKW-3 (a T cell line), differentiated U937 (a monocytic line), and blood lymphocytes was inhibited by mAbs to LFA-1. A number of different mAb to the LFA-1 alpha and beta subunits and F(ab')2 and Fab' fragments inhibited aggregation. Furthermore, lymphoblasts from normal individuals, but not from LFA-1-deficient patients, aggregated in response to PMA. These findings suggest LFA-1 is critically involved in stimulated lymphocyte adhesion. LFA-1 expression was not increased by PMA stimulation, showing that other mechanisms regulate LFA-1-dependent adherence. LFA-1-deficient patient cells were able to coaggregate with LFA-1+ cells, showing that aggregation is not mediated by like-like interactions between LFA-1 molecules on opposite cells. Aggregation was Mg+2-dependent, inhibited by cytochalasin B, and was reversed when LFA-1 mAb was added to preformed aggregates. Previous findings suggesting that LFA-1 is important in a wide variety of leukocyte functions are elucidated by this work, which shows that LFA-1 is a general leukocyte cell adhesion molecule, the activity of which is regulated by cell activation.

Davitz, M A; Low, M G; Nussenzweig, V

doi: 10.1084/jem.163.5.1150pmid: 2422313

Decay-accelerating factor (DAF) is a 70,000 Mr membrane protein that inhibits amplification of the complement cascade on the cell surface, and protects cells from damage. Purified DAF can be reincorporated into the membrane of red cells and is functional. DAF is deficient in paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH), a disease characterized by increased sensitivity of erythrocytes to complement lysis. We show here that DAF is part of a newly described family of membrane proteins anchored to the lipid bilayer by means of phosphatidylinositol (PI). Treatment with PI-specific phospholipase C (PIPLC) releases 70-80, 60, and 10% of cell surface DAF from mononuclear cells, neutrophils, and erythrocytes, respectively. The PIPLC-released DAF (DAF-S) is slightly smaller (67,000 Mr) than the membrane form. DAF and DAF-S cannot be distinguished antigenically. Furthermore, DAF-S has lost its ability to significantly inhibit the C3-convertase, as well as its ability to incorporate into cell membranes. Since DAF can only inhibit C3-convertase endogenously, i.e., within the membrane of the same cell, it is likely that the loss of activity of DAF-S is causally related to its inability to reincorporate in the lipid bilayer. As shown by others, the complement-sensitive red cells from PNH patients lack acetylcholinesterase, which is also anchored to the membrane by PI (9). Thus it is possible that the molecular defect in PNH lies in the biosynthetic pathways leading to the attachment of PI to the polypeptide chains, in the transport of these proteins to the surface, or in their release by the action of endogenous phospholipases. From a practical standpoint the specific release of DAF by PIPLC could facilitate killing of tumor cells by amplifying the effects of the complement cascade on the surface of antibody-sensitized cells.

Toossi, Z; Kleinhenz, M E; Ellner, J J

doi: 10.1084/jem.163.5.1162pmid: 2939169

Patients with newly diagnosed, pulmonary tuberculosis had a tuberculin-specific defect in IL-2 production. Mean PPD-induced IL-2 activity was 81.2% lower in patients as compared with healthy tuberculin reactors. PPD-induced expression of T cell IL-2 receptors was 5.9 times less in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with tuberculosis as compared with healthy tuberculin reactors. Furthermore, purified IL-2 failed to correct PPD-induced blastogenesis in patients. Suppression by adherent cells was operative in one group of patients; adherent cell depletion increased their T cell production of IL-2 7.2-fold. A second group of patients with low IL-2 production did not have suppressor adherent cells and were clinically distinct, with more extensive disease on chest x ray. The basis for low IL-2 production in such individuals is unknown. Disordered regulation of IL-2 metabolism may be a key feature in the depressed cellular immune response of tuberculosis.

Krangel, M S

doi: 10.1084/jem.163.5.1173pmid: 3701253

Human class I major histocompatibility antigens (HLA-A, -B and -C) are integral membrane protein heterodimers, which are anchored in the membrane via a stretch of hydrophobic amino acids near the carboxyl terminus of the heavy chain. It has previously been shown that a mutagenized cell line secretes a water soluble form of the HLA-A2 antigen, due to a pattern of RNA splicing that removes exon 5 (encoding the transmembrane hydrophobic amino acids) from mature, HLA-A2--encoding transcripts. The present study was undertaken to assess whether a similar process might be operative in nonmutagenized cells. It is shown that water soluble class I molecules (primarily HLA-A24) are secreted by the T leukemic cell line HPB-ALL, and that alternative splicing removes exon 5 from a fraction of HLA-A24--encoding transcripts. It is further shown that class I molecules are secreted, possibly in an allele-specific fashion, from a variety of tumor cells and normal cells. The possible relationship between these findings and previous reports of HLA-A and -B antigens in human serum is discussed.