Regulation of PtdIns-3-kinase and the guanine nucleotide binding proteins p21ras during signal transduction by the T cell antigen receptor and the interleukin-2 receptor

Distinct effects of STAT5 activation on CD4+ and CD8+ T cell homeostasis: development of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells versus CD8+ memory T cells

Using transgenic mice that express a constitutively active version of STAT5b, we demonstrate that STAT5 plays a key role in governing B cell development and T cell homeostasis. STAT5 activation leads to a 10-fold increase in pro-B, but not pro-T, cells. Conversely, STAT5 signaling promotes the expansion of mature alphabeta T cells (6-fold increase) and gammadelta and NK T cells (3- to 4-fold increase), but not of mature B cells. In addition, STAT5 activation has dramatically divergent effects on CD8(+) vs CD4(+) T cells, leading to the selective expansion of CD8(+) memory-like T cells and CD4(+)CD25(+) regulatory T cells. These results establish that activation of STAT5 is the primary mechanism underlying both IL-7/IL-15-dependent homeostatic proliferation of naive and memory CD8(+) T cells and IL-2-dependent development of CD4(+)CD25(+) regulatory T cells.

Regulation of lymphotoxin-beta by tumor necrosis factor, phorbol myristate acetate, and ionomycin in Jurkat T cells

Lymphotoxin-beta (LT- beta) is a tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related membrane-bound cytokine that forms a heterotrimeric surface lymphotoxin (LT) complex with LT-alpha on the surface of lymphoid cells. Although knockout studies have revealed a role in lymph node biogenesis during development, the regulation and function of surface LT in mature cell types are poorly understood. The present study aims to understand the physiologic signals that regulate the components of surface LT in Jurkat T cells. We show that the previously observed upregulation of surface LT by phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) is markedly abrogated by cotreatment with ionomycin through posttranscriptional mechanisms. In addition, the observation of striking similarities between the mRNA accumulation kinetics of LT-alpha and LT-beta during these treatments indicates tight coupling of expression under certain conditions. In investigating the reported upregulation of LT-beta during inflammation, we tested the effects of various proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines on LT-beta expression. Our data demonstrate an upregulation of LT-beta mRNA by the inflammatory cytokines TNF and LT-alpha.

IL-4 Selectively Inhibits IL-2-Triggered Stat5 Activation, But Not Proliferation, in Human T Cells

IL-2 activates several distinct signaling pathways that are important for T cell activation, proliferation, and differentiation into both Th1 and Th2 phenotypes. IL-4, the major cytokine that promotes differentiation of Th2 cells, has been shown to block signaling of the Th1-promoting cytokine IL-12. As IL-2 synergizes with IL-12 in promoting Th1 differentiation, the effects of IL-4 on IL-2 signal transduction were investigated. IL-4 suppressed activation of DNA binding and tyrosine phosphorylation of the transcription factor Stat5 by IL-2, and suppressed the expression of the IL-2-inducible genes CD25, CIS, the PGE2 receptor, and cytokine responsive (CR) genes CR1 and CR8. Activation of Stat5 by cytokines that share a common γ receptor subunit, IL-2, IL-7, and IL-15, was suppressed by preculture in IL-4. Activation of the Jak1 and Jak3 kinases that are proximal to Stat5 in the IL-2-Jak-STAT signaling pathway was suppressed, and this correlated with inhibition of IL-2Rβ subunit expression. In contrast to suppression of Stat5, proliferative responses to IL-2 were augmented in IL-4-cultured cells, and activation of proliferative pathways leading to activation of mitogen activated protein kinases, induction of expression of Myc, Fos, Pim-1, and cyclin D3, and decreased levels of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27 were intact. These results identify molecular mechanisms underlying interactions between IL-4 and IL-2 in T cells and demonstrate that one mechanism of regulation of IL-2 activity is selective and differential modulation of signaling pathways.

Functional dissection of the cytoplasmic subregions of the IL-2 receptor betac chain in primary lymphocyte populations

The interleukin 2 (IL-2) receptor betac chain (IL-2Rbetac) is known to regulate the development and function of distinct lymphocyte populations. Thus far, the functions of the IL-2Rbetac cytoplasmic subregions have been studied extensively by using cultured cell lines; however, this approach has limitations with respect to their functions in distinct primary lymphocyte populations. In the present study, we generated mice each expressing a mutant form of an IL-2Rbetac transgene, lacking the cytoplasmic A- or H-region, on an IL-2Rbetac null background. We show that lack of the H-region, which mediates activation of the Stat5/Stat3 transcription factors, selectively affects the development of natural killer cells and T cells bearing the gamma delta T cell receptor. This region is also required for the IL-2-induced proliferation of T cells in vitro, by upregulating IL-2Ralpha expression. In contrast, the A-region, which mediates activation of the Src family protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) members, contributes to downregulation of the T cell proliferation function. The IL-2Rbetac null mutant mice develop severe autoimmune symptoms; these are all suppressed following the expression of either of the mutants, suggesting that neither the Stats nor the Src PTK members are required. Thus, our present approach offers new insights into the functions of these cytoplasmic subregions of the IL-2Rbetac chain.

Inducible receptors

While regulation of receptor function is known to occur at many levels (e.g. transcriptional, post-translational), it is generally perceived that a tissue either expresses or does not express a particular receptor in an all-or-none fashion. Many pathological (e.g. tissue injury) and physiological (e.g. angiogenesis) processes have, however, been shown to be associated with the transcriptional induction of specific receptors. Induced receptors are not confined to any particular class, but range from G protein-coupled receptors to receptor tyrosine kinases. The potential implications of de novo receptor expression are profound with respect to potential novel therapeutic targets in specific disease states. Further, this observation may explain unexpected side-effects in the pharmacotherapy of existing disease states. In this article Lucy Donaldson, Michael Hanley and Amparo Villablanca discuss circumstances under which de novo receptor induction has been described, potential mechanisms of induction and the implications for pharmacology.

A negative role for phosphoinositide 3-kinase in T-cell antigen receptor function

BACKGROUND

A delicate balance between positive and negative regulatory mechanisms during T-cell activation determines the specificity and magnitude of an immune response. Phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase) is activated by a diverse set of receptors that determine T-cell function, including the T-cell antigen receptor (TCR), the costimulatory receptor CD28, and negative regulators of T-cell activation such as CTLA-4. PI 3-kinase is also regulated by the haematopoietic cytokines that determine T-cell differentiation and lymphocyte proliferation. PI 3-kinase can thus dynamically influence the outcome of the immune reactions at various stages. In this study, we investigated the importance of PI 3-kinase in TCR-directed T-cell activation using activated or inhibitory versions of PI 3-kinase.

RESULTS

Certain aspects of TCR responses such as the induction of transcriptional activity of AP1 and serum response factor were not affected by expression of the mutant forms of PI 3-kinase. We found, however, that PI 3-kinase profoundly influenced the transactivation capacity of 'nuclear factor of activated T cells' (NF-AT) elicited by the TCR: expression of an activated form of PI 3-kinase inhibited TCR-mediated NF-AT responses, whereas expression of a dominant negative mutant of PI 3-kinase potently enhanced TCR-controlled NF-AT induction. These effects of PI 3-kinase were not mediated by previously identified PI 3-kinase effectors, such as protein kinase B, a positive regulator of PI 3-kinase, or the GTPase Rac, and are therefore likely to involve a novel, as yet unknown, effector molecule.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results establish that PI 3-kinase can both positively and negatively regulate T-cell function, and uncover a previously unrecognized function for PI 3-kinase in T cells as a selective negative regulator of TCR-signalling events and therefore as a determinant of T-cell homeostasis.

Activation-induced expression of vascular permeability factor by human peripheral T cells: a non-radioisotopic semiquantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction assay

Vascular permeability factor, also known as vascular endothelial growth factor (VPF/VEGF), is a disulfide-linked dimeric glycoprotein of about 40 kDa that enhances vascular permeability, induces chemotaxis and activation of monocytes/macrophages, and promotes growth of vascular endothelial cells. It has been reported that several tumor cell lines and normal cells produce VPF/VEGF. To examine the possibility of VPF/VEGF mRNA expression in human peripheral T cells and its mechanism(s) of regulation, we developed a non-radioisotopic semiquantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR; VPF/VEGF, GAPDH co-amplification) assay which detects all species of VPF/VEGF mRNA alternative splicing products. T cells expressed negligible VPF/VEGF mRNA in the resting state. However, TPA markedly enhanced the expression of 121-, 165- and 189-amino-acid-containing isoforms of VPF/VEGF mRNA in T cells. Both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells expressed VPF/VEGF mRNA in response to TPA treatment. Moreover, T cell receptor stimulation with monoclonal anti-CD3 antibody with or without IL-1 beta enhanced VPF/VEGF mRNA expression in T cells. These findings suggest that T cell activation induces VPF/VEGF expression in the cells, resulting in induction of its biological activities.

Activation of pp70/85 S6 kinases in interleukin-2-responsive lymphoid cells is mediated by phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and inhibited by cyclic AMP

Activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and activation of the 70/85-kDa S6 protein kinases (alpha II and alpha I isoforms, referred to collectively as pp70S6k) have been independently linked to the regulation of cell proliferation. We demonstrate that these kinases lie on the same signalling pathway and that PI3K mediates the activation of pp70 by the cytokine interleukin-2 (IL-2). We also show that the activation of pp70S6k can be blocked at different points along the signalling pathway by using specific inhibitors of T-cell proliferation. Inhibition of PI3K activity with structurally unrelated but highly specific PI3K inhibitors (wortmannin or LY294002) results in inhibition of IL-2-dependent but not phorbol ester (conventional protein kinase C [cPKC])-dependent pp70S6k activation. The T-cell immunosuppressant rapamycin potently antagonizes IL-2-(PI3K)- and phorbol ester (cPKC)-mediated activation of pp70S6k. Thus, wortmannin and rapamycin antagonize IL-2-mediated activation of pp70S6k at distinct points along the PI3K-regulated signalling pathway, or rapamycin antagonizes another pathway required for pp70S6k activity. Agents that raise the concentration of intracellular cyclic AMP (cAMP) and activate cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) also inhibit IL-2-dependent activation of pp70S6k. In this case, inhibition appears to occur at least two points in this signalling path. Like rapamycin, PKA appears to act downstream of cPKC-mediated pp70S6k activation, and like wortmannin, PKA antagonizes IL-2-dependent activation of PI3K. The results with rapamycin and wortmannin are of added interest since the yeast and mammalian rapamycin targets resemble PI3K in the catalytic domain.