Production of chemotactic factor for lymphocytes by neutral SH-dependent protease of rabbit PMN leukocytes from immunoglobulins, especially IgM

Infiltration of neutrophils is required for acquisition of metastatic phenotype of benign murine fibrosarcoma cells: implication of inflammation-associated carcinogenesis and tumor progression

QR-32 tumor cells, a clone derived from a murine fibrosarcoma, are poorly tumorigenic and nonmetastatic when injected into syngeneic C57BL/6 mice. However, they are converted to highly malignant ones once they have grown in vivo after being co-implanted in a subcutaneous site with a foreign body, a gelatin sponge. Early phase of inflammation induced by the gelatin sponge participates in the conversion and histological analysis shows predominant infiltration of neutrophils. The objective of this study was to determine whether the depletion of the infiltrating neutrophils has any effect on the tumor progression. Intraperitoneal administration of a monoclonal anti-granulocyte antibody, RB6-8C5 (RB6), depleted neutrophils from both the peripheral blood circulation and the local inflamed site in mice with co-implantation of QR-32 tumor cells and gelatin sponge. The RB6 administration did not inhibit either tumor development or growth of QR-32 tumor cells. In contrast, tumor cell lines established from RB6-administered mice showed a significant decrease in metastatic incidence as compared with the tumor cell lines obtained from the mice with administration of control rat IgG or saline. Metastatic ability was significantly suppressed when RB6 had been administered in the early phase (from day -2 to day 6 after implantation); however, the administration in the middle (from day 6 to day 14) or late (from day 14 to day 22) phase did not affect the metastatic ability. We confirmed the phenomena by using integrin beta(2) knockout mice that had impaired neutrophil infiltration into inflamed sites. In the knockout mice, neutrophils hardly infiltrated into the gelatin sponge and the tumors showed dramatically suppressed metastatic phenotype as compared with those in wild-type mice or nude mice. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated that expressions of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine and nitrotyrosine were parallel to those in the presence of neutrophils. These results suggested that inflammation, especially when neutrophils infiltrate into tumor tissue, is primarily important for benign tumor cells to acquire metastatic phenotype.

NPGB-induced inhibition of superoxide anion production by normal Lewis rat macrophages

The treatment of Lewis rat peritoneal macrophages with p1-nitrophenyl p-guanidinobenzoate (NPGB) inhibited the superoxide anion production stimulated with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA). The addition of NPGB at the time of maximum superoxide generation was still able to block the superoxide release. It appears from these findings that NPGB may block either the activation process of the membrane bound NAD(P)H oxidase or directly on the active enzyme. Other protease inhibitors such as, epsilon-amino caproic acid (EACA), pepstatin, trans aminomethyl cyclohexane carboxylic acid (AMCA), aprotinin, and leupeptin did not inhibit the superoxide release. The superoxide anion release by the xanthine-xanthine oxidase system was not inhibited by NPGB. This finding indicates that NPGB does not itself react with superoxide. It has been also demonstrated that NPGB is a good reactant toward sulfhydryl group. The relevance of these finding to experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) is discussed.

Production of chemotactic factor for lymphocyte by digestion of IgG with a highly purified polymorphonuclear leukocyte neutral thiol proteinase

In the present study, we purified a neutral thiol proteinase from dog PMN leukocytes and indicated that the proteinase elaborated the chemotactic factor for lymphocytes by cleavage of IgG. The neutral thiol proteinase was purified about 744-fold by ion-exchange chromatographies and affinity chromatography, and the final preparation was over 70% pure. After incubation of dog IgG with the proteinase, three distinct protein peaks were seen by the gel filtration on Sephadex G-200. Only the third peak, perhaps a dialyzable peptide, showed a significant chemotactic activity for dog lymphocytes.

A chemotactic factor for rat thymocytes may regulate T-lymphocyte migration toward the thymic microenvironment

Using a modified Boyden chamber assay, extracts or culture supernatants of rat thymic stromal cells, or thymocytes were examined by chemotactic activity to rat leukocytes. Rat thymocytes responded chemotactically to the aqueous extract as well as to culture supernatants of thymic stromal cells. However, neither the extract and culture medium from concanavalin A-stimulated thymocytes nor any component of rat serum has shown such an activity. The thymic extract was fractionated into three molecular species with chemotactic activity for thymocytes. The thymocyte chemotactic factor(s) (TCFs) in the extract was distinct from known lymphocytic chemotactic factors, such as interleukin-1 (IL-1), IL-2, C5a, and the culture supernatant of stimulated thymocytes. In vitro, TCFs could attract, in addition to thymocytes, bone marrow cells, fetal liver cells, and nylon-wool nonadherent lymphocytes from peripheral blood and spleen. Lymph node cells, neutrophils, macrophages, and B cells from peripheral blood could not respond to TCFs. Thymocytes also responded to the extract of splenic stromal cells. Unlike the thymic extract, however, the splenic extract was chemotactically active for lymphocytes from lymph nodes but not for bone marrow cells. These results indicate that thymic stromal cells secrete a chemotactic factor(s) for a relatively immature type of T-lineage cells, which may by a thymus-homing progenitor T cell, while spleen may contain an attractant for a relatively mature type of T-lineage cells.

Lymphocyte locomotion in experimental allergic thyroiditis

Experimental allergic thyroiditis was produced in rats by immunization with homologous thyroglobulin (Tg). The mechanisms of lymphocyte accumulation of the thyroid lesion were analyzed by using this experimental model. The sensitized lymph node cells were cultured with Tg. After 72 hr, the cell-free supernatant was found to contain a chemotactic factor for sensitized lymphocytes. Lymph node lymphocytes from animals immunized 3 weeks previously were the best source of such sensitized lymphocytes while the cells at the latter stage could not produce the factor. The culture supernatant was applied to a Sephadex G-100 gel filtration column. The results indicate that the molecular weight of the factor is around 12,400. Among lymph node lymphocytes, nylon-wool column nonadherent lymphocytes were the most responsive; adherent lymphocytes were not responsive. Thyroglobulin itself did not chemoattract lymphocytes obtained from rats immunized with Tg. This phenomenon was in contrast to macrophage chemotaxis in the same model in which macrophage itself can move toward Tg. In any event, these results seem to indicate that a chemotactic lymphokine may be playing an important role in the pathogenesis of lymphocyte accumulation of the thyroid lesion.

An alkaline proteinase which has inflammatory activity isolated from guinea pig lymphoid cells

A phosphate buffer extract of regional lymph node cells (more than 90% lymphocytes) of guinea pigs immunized with bovine immunoglobulin G contained acid and alkaline proteinase activities. The immunized cells contained approximately twice as much proteinase activities than the normal cells. The alkaline proteinase was purified and two forms could be separated. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed that one form labeled with [3H]diisopropylfluorophosphate was localized at Mr 28,000 in a single peak in the presence and absence of reducing agent. The enzyme was inhibited by diisopropylfluorophosphate, p-chloromercuribenzoate, N-ethylmaleimide and iodoacetic acid, and was also partially inhibited by phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride. It was relatively heat-stable. Intradermal injection of the purified form into normal guinea pigs induced a mixed neutrophil-mononuclear infiltrate. The immune reaction was reduced in intensity with the diisopropylfluorophosphate-inhibited enzyme. These findings suggest that the proteinase probably participates in the inflammatory response of cellular hypersensitivity.

The role of polymorphonuclear leukocytes in delayed hypersensitivity skin reactions: suppressive effects of anti-polymorphonuclear leukocyte serum

Rabbit antisera (APS) against normal guinea pig peritoneal exudate polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN), when injected intraperitoneally three times within 24 h into guinea pigs, lead to a marked fall in the blood PMN count (below 100/mm3) 24-72 h after the injection and a mild depression in the number of circulating mononuclear leukocytes (MNC) at 36-72 h. APS treatment of guinea pigs led to a marked suppression of delayed hypersensitivity skin reactions in response to dinitrophenylated bovine gamma-globulin. The volume, induration, mean diameter of the reaction and leukocyte (both PMN and MNC) emigration into local sites were suppressed, as was, to a lesser extent, vascular permeability. Based on these observations it appears that circulating PMN are required for the full expression of delayed hypersensitivity reaction engendered by bovine gamma-globulin.

Evidence for polymorphonuclear-leucocyte-derived proteinases in arthritic cartilage

1. An enzyme that degrades proteoglycan at neutral pH was extracted with 4 M-guanidine hydrochloride from the articular cartilage of rabbits with antigen-induced arthritis. 2. The enzyme had an apparent molecular weight on Ultrogel AcA 54 of about 8000 and was optimally active at pH 7.5 in Tris/HCl buffer containing 0.2 M-NaCl. The partially purified preparation was totally inhibited by 0.01 mM-N-acetyldialanylprolylvalylchloromethane, severely inhibited by 2 mM-phenylmethanesulphonyl fluoride and soya-bean trypsin inhibitor (200 microgram/ml) and slightly inhibited by 10 mM-EDTA. Marked inhibition was also obtained with a cytosolic fraction prepared from rabbit polymorphonuclear leucocytes. 3. All properties of the enzyme were virtually identical with those of an 'elastase-like' proteinase that was isolated from rabbit polymorphonuclear-leucocyte granules. 4. The results are consistent with the idea that cartilage proteoglycan degradation in acute joint inflammation is due at least partly to the diffusion into the cartilage of proteinases derived from synovial-fluid polymorphonuclear leucocytes.

The development of extranodal lymphoid follicles in experimental bronchopneumonia

Extranodal formation of lymphoid follicles was morphologically studied in experimental bronchopneumonia. Control gnotobiotic mice had no peribronchial lymphoid follicles and only lymphatic vessels were traced from the terminal bronchiolar region toward larger bronchi. During the week after intranasal inoculation of mycoplasma pulmonis, lymphoid follicles developed in the terminal portion of the lymphatics by the accumulation of small lymphocytes. A loose network of mesenchymal cells and early infiltration of macrophages, following stromal edema, seemed to play an important role in the early accumulation of lymphocytes. Blastic transformation was seen frequently in the center of the accumulated lymphocytes. Two weeks after inoculation plasma cells emerged conspicuously in the periphery of the lymphoid follicles, and the acute phase of bronchopneumonia began to subside. Typical germinal centers with tingible body macrophages and dendritic reticulum cells developed when the bronchitis persisted in a chronical manner.

The mediation of macrophage reaction in inflammation, with special reference to IgG-derived chemotactic factor

Three different macrophage chemotactic factors were separated from hypersensitivity skin lesions induced by DNP-ascaris extract or PPD. The amount of each factor seemed to be changeable according to the nature of inflammatory stimuli. The chemotactic activity of the factor a was completely absorbed by anti-IgG and anti-light chain antibodies, while that of the factors b and c was not absorbed by the antibodies. The factor a was produced from IgG by neutrophil neutral serine protease resembling elastase but failing to digest elastin-orcein; its chemotactic generation was accompanied by release of dialysable peptide(s) from the IgG molecule, suggesting a minor structural change of the IgG molecule. Production of leucoegresin or lymphocyte chemotactic factor by neutrophil neutral thiol protease from IgG molecule was discussed.

Studies of chemotaxis of lymphocytes

Lymphoblasts migrate into filters towards chemoattractants in vitro. Human lymphoblasts maintained in continuous culture and mouse lymphoblasts from unsensitized lymph nodes show chemotactic responses and migrate towards the same chemotactic factors as neutrophils and macrophages, namely activated plasma, casein, denatured serum albumin, oxazolone. On the other hand, mouse lymphoblasts from oxazolone-sensitized lymph nodes show considerable random migration and chemokinesis but not chemotaxis. The migration of lymphoblasts to these agents appears not to be antigen-specific. These migratory properties of lymphoblasts are probably relevant to their migration into inflammatory sites in vivo.

Characterization of a chemotactic factor (leucoegresin) for polymorphonuclear leucocytes from thermal skin site

A chemotactic factor for PMN leucocytes was extracted in the pseudoglobulin fraction of burned skin lesions in rabbits and then highly purified by chromatography using Sephadex G-50, DEAE-Sephadex A-50 and CM-Sephex C-50 in this order. Chemotactic activity was estimated by a modification of Boyden's method during the process of purification. This factor was a protein free of nucleic acid and its molecular weight was approximately 140000 when measured by gel filtration. Its activity was relatively heat-stable. Agar immunoelectrophoresis and immunodiffusion using goat antiserum against rabbit serum and against rabbit IgG revealed that this factor shared at least some antigenic determinants with rabbit IgG. Intradermal injection of this factor induced pronounced PMN leucocyte emigration at the site of venules, but did not increase vascular permeability. These observations reasonably confirmed that this factor was indistinguishable from leucoegresin isolated from active Arthus site in rabbits; and it was called burn leucoegresin. The amount of burn leucoegresin, obtained from one burned site showing maximal PMN leucocyte emigration, was smaller than that of Arthus leucoegresin from one active Arthus site showing maximal PMN leucocyte emigration, in accordance with less pronounced PMN leucocyte emigration in burn site.