Transfection of L929 cells with complement subcomponent C1q B-chain antisense cDNA inhibits tumor necrosis factor-alpha binding to mediate cytotoxicity and nitric oxide generation

An optimized non-T cell transfection system based on HEK293FT cells for CD3ζ phosphorylation and ubiquitination

CD3ζ is part of the T cell receptor (TCR)/CD3 complex that plays a critical role in antigen recognition and subsequent T cell activation. Understanding the mechanisms that regulate CD3ζ can provide new insights into the T cell-mediated immune responses. However, it is challenging to deliver exogenous genes into T cells for functional and mechanistic analyses. To this end, we established a non-T cell transfection system based on HEK293FT cells to screen for candidate regulatory proteins. The transfection was optimized using relatively high confluent cultures and the transfection reagent PolyJet™. Pervanadate (PV) treatment sustained tyrosine phosphorylation of CD3ζ, and facilitated the subsequent activation-dependent ubiquitination by E3 ligase Cbl-b in the HEK293FT system. Lck and Zap70 kinases enhanced the levels of phosphorylated CD3ζ in the presence of PV. We compared the effects of E3 ligases and the corresponding adaptor proteins on activation-dependent ubiquitination of CD3ζ in the PV-stimulated cells, and found that Cbl-b was most effective. Taken together, we have demonstrated that a non-T cell transfection system based on PV-treated HEK293FT cells could effectively mimic CD3ζ phosphorylation and ubiquitination and is a promising model for studying the role of CD3ζ signaling in T cell activation.

Expression of two temporally distinct microglia-related gene clusters after spinal cord injury

The dual role of microglia in cytotoxicity and neuroprotection is believed to depend on the specific, temporal expression of microglial-related genes. To better clarify this issue, we used high-density oligonucleotide microarrays to examine microglial gene expression after spinal cord injury (SCI) in rats. We compared expression changes at the lesion site, as well as in rostral and caudal regions after mild, moderate, or severe SCI. Using microglial-associated anchor genes, we identified two clusters with different temporal profiles. The first, induced by 4 h postinjury to peak between 4 and 24 h, included interleukin-1beta, interleukin-6, osteopontin, and calgranulin, among others. The second was induced 24 h after SCI, and peaked between 72 h and 7 days; it included C1qB, Galectin-3, and p22(phox). These two clusters showed similar expression profiles regardless of injury severity, albeit with slight decreases in expression in mild or severe injury vs. moderate injury. Expression was also decreased rostral and caudal to the lesion site. We validated the expression of selected cluster members at the mRNA and protein levels. In addition, we demonstrated that stimulation of purified microglia in culture induces expression of C1qB, Galectin-3, and p22(phox). Finally, inhibition of p22(phox) activity within microglial cultures significantly suppressed proliferation in response to stimulation, confirming that this gene is involved in microglial activation. Because microglial-related factors have been implicated both in secondary injury and recovery, identification of temporally distinct clusters of genes related to microglial activation may suggest distinct roles for these groups of factors.

Differential regulation of nitric oxide production by increase of intracellular cAMP in murine primary fibroblasts and L929 fibrosarcoma cell line

The effect of intracellular cAMP rise on nitric oxide (NO) production was compared in murine primary fibroblasts isolated from the spleens of CBA mice, and L929 fibrosarcoma cell line. Treatment of confluent L929 cells with cAMP analogues -dibutyryl-cAMP (db-cAMP) or 8-Cl-cAMP caused dose-dependent augmentation of inducible NO synthase (iNOS)-mediated NO production, which has been abrogated by inhibition of protein synthesis with cycloheximide or addition of selective iNOS inhibitor aminoguanidine. In contrast, under the same cultivating conditions, cAMP analogues were not able to upregulate NO synthesis in primary fibroblasts. Treatment with cAMP analogues or non-selective phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitor pentoxifylline affected IFNgamma-induced NO synthesis in both cell types, but in the opposite manner-enhancing in L929 cells and suppressive in primary fibroblasts. The induction of iNOS, but not its catalytic activity, was impaired in cAMP-treated primary fibroblasts. Finally, PDE type IV inhibitor rolipram enhanced IFN-gamma-triggered NO synthesis in L929 cells, but was unable to mimic cAMP analogue or PTX-mediated suppression of NO synthesis in spleen fibroblasts. These results suggest that, in contrast to L929 fibrosarcoma cell line, intracellular cAMP rise might have a role in downregulation of NO production in murine primary fibroblasts.

C1q receptors: regulating specific functions of phagocytic cells

A C1q receptor that upregulates the phagocytic capacity of professional phagocytes, C1qRp, has been identified, and its primary structure determined by cDNA cloning and sequencing. Monoclonal antibodies that immunoprecipitate this 126,000 Mr polypeptide inhibit the enhancement of phagocytosis triggered not only by C1q but also by mannose binding lectin (MBL) and pulmonary surfactant protein A (SPA) providing critical evidence that this polypeptide is a functional receptor or component of the receptor that mediates this enhancement of phagocytosis. The amino acid sequence, deduced from the cloned cDNA coding for this receptor, indicates that this surface glycoprotein receptor is a novel type I membrane protein of 631 amino acid containing a region homologous to C-type lectin carbohydrate recognition domains, 5 EGF-like domains, a single transmembrane domain and a 47 amino acid intracellular domain. Expression of this receptor is limited to cells of myeloid origin, platelets and endothelial cells, consistent with a relatively selective function, and making it an attractive candidate for therapeutic modulation of function. A distinct C1q receptor that triggers superoxide in polymorphonuclear leukocytes has been functionally characterized and designated as C1qRO2-. Thus, the accumulated data that will be summarized here demonstrate that there are at least two C1q receptor/receptor complexes (C1qRp and C1qRO2-), each triggering distinct cellular responses, that multiple C1q receptors can be expressed on the same, as well as on different, cell types, and that at least one C1q receptor, C1qRp, is capable of responding to multiple ligands.

Pentoxifylline potentiates nitric oxide production and growth suppression in interferon-gamma-treated L929 fibroblasts

In this study the effects of the phosphodiesterase inhibitor pentoxifylline (PTX) on nitric oxide (NO) production and proliferation of murine fibrosarcoma cell line L929 were investigated. We showed that both IFN-gamma (200 U/ml)-induced NO production and inhibition of [3H]thymidine uptake by L929 cells were potentiated in a synergistic fashion in the presence of PTX (200 micrograms/ml). These effects of PTX could be a consequence of phosphodiesterase inhibition, since they were mimicked by cAMP analogue dibutyryl cAMP. PTX failed to affect NO production when added to cells in which inducible NO synthase (iNOS) had already been induced with IFN-gamma and any further induction was blocked by cycloheximide (1 ug/ml), indicating that PTX modulates NO synthesis in L929 cells probably on a pretranslational level. Inhibition of iNOS with L-NAME (3 mM), although completely abolishing NO production, did not have any effect on proliferation of IFN-gamma or IFN-gamma + PTX-treated L929 cells, arguing against the possibility that growth suppression of these cells was due to the enhanced NO production. Moreover, the observation that the NO donor sodium nitroprusside (10-250 microM) significantly increased incorporation of [3H]thymidine in L929 fibroblasts suggests a role for NO in the positive regulation of their growth.