IMMUNOLOGY: Opposites Attract in Differentiating T Cells

Stable expression ratios of five pyroptosis-inducing cytokines in the spleen and thymus of mice showed potential immune regulation at the organ level

BACKGROUND

The immune system is one of the most complex regulatory systems in the body and is essential for the maintenance of homeostasis. Despite recent breakthroughs in immunology, the regulation of the immune system and the etiology of autoimmune diseases such as lupus remain unclear. Systemic lupus erythematosus is a systemic autoimmune disease with abnormally and inconsistently expressed pro-inflammatory cytokines. Pyroptosis is a pro-inflammatory form of programmed cell death that is associated with systemic lupus erythematosus. The thymus and spleen are important immune organs involved in systemic lupus erythematosus. Therefore, this study investigated the difference in expression of pyroptosis-inducing pro-inflammatory cytokines between the spleen and thymus in lupus model mice and in control mice, to describe immune regulation at the organ level.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate differences in the expression of pyroptosis-inducing cytokines in the spleen and thymus and to explore immune regulatory networks at the organ level.

METHODS

Two groups of lupus mice and two groups of control mice were utilized for this study. Using the thymus and spleen of experimental animals, mRNA expression levels of five pyroptosis-inducing cytokines (interleukin 1β, interleukin 18, NLRP3, caspase-1 and TNF-α) were determined via quantitative polymerase chain reaction. In addition, tissue distribution of these cytokines was investigated via immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS

All five pyroptosis-inducing inflammatory cytokines showed higher expression in the spleen than in the thymus (p < 0.05). Moreover, the spleen/thymus expression ratios of all five pyroptosis-inducing cytokines were not statistically different between the four experimental groups. Expression of all five cytokines exhibited a stable ratio (spleen/thymus ratios). This distinctive stable spleen/thymus ratio was consistent in all four experimental groups. The stable spleen/thymus ratios of the five inflammatory cytokines were as follows: interleukin 1β (2.02 ± 0.9), interleukin 18 (2.07 ± 1.06), caspase-1 (1.93 ± 0.66), NLRP3 (3.14 ± 1.61) and TNF-α (3.16 ± 1.36). Immunohistochemical analysis showed the cytokines were mainly expressed in the red pulp region of the spleen and the medullary region of the thymus, where immune-activated cells aggregated.

CONCLUSION

The stable spleen/thymus expression ratios of pyroptosis-inducing cytokines indicated that immune organs exhibit strictly regulated functions to maintain immune homeostasis and adapt to the environment.

Impact of dietary components on NK and Treg cell function for cancer prevention

An important characteristic of cancer is that the disease can overcome the surveillance of the immune system. A possible explanation for this resistance arises from the ability of tumor cells to block the tumoricidal activity of host immune cells such as natural killer (NK) cells by inducing the localized accumulation of regulatory T (Treg) cells. Evidence exists that components in commonly consumed foods including vitamins A, D, and E, water-soluble constituents of mushrooms, polyphenolics in fruits and vegetables, and n-3 fatty acids in fish oil can modulate NK cell activities, Treg cell properties, and the interactions between those two cell types. Thus, it is extremely important for cancer prevention to understand the involvement of dietary components with the early stage dynamics of interactions among these immune cells. This review addresses the potential significance of diet in supporting the function of NK cells, Treg cells, and the balance between those two cell types, which ultimately results in decreased cancer risk.

SB-273005, an antagonist of αvβ3 integrin, reduces the production of Th2 cells and cytokine IL-10 in pregnant mice

Pregnancy is associated with complex immunoreactions. In the present study, the effect of SB-273005, an antagonist of αvβ3 integrin, on the alterations of T helper (Th) cells and their derived cytokines that occur during pregnancy was investigated in mice. Five non-pregnant mice were used as a negative control. Mice were impregnated by co-housing females and males at a ratio of 2:1 overnight and pregnancy was confirmed by the appearance of vaginal plugs the following morning. Day 1 (D1) pregnant mice were randomly divided into two groups (n=20) and were administered either dimethylsulfoxide (mock treatment) or SB-273005 (3 mg/kg) by gavage at D3, D4 and D5. At D8, the levels of Th1 and Th2 cells and interleukin (IL)-2 and IL-10 in the spleen and peripheral blood were determined using flow cytometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Pregnancy significantly increased the ratio of Th2:Th1 cells in the spleen compared with that in non-pregnant mice (P<0.01). However, this increase was significantly reduced by SB-273005 (P<0.001). Furthermore, whilst pregnancy decreased Th1 cell-produced IL-2 levels and increased Th2 cell-derived IL-10 levels, SB-273005 reversed both processes (P<0.05 for IL-2; P<0.01 for IL-10). The results from the present study demonstrated that pregnancy induces changes in the spleen, including a reduction of IL-2 and an increase in IL-10 production by Th1 and Th2 cells, respectively, as well as an upregulation of the Th2:Th1 ratio in the spleen. These immunological changes are reversed by SB-273005, indicating an important role for αvβ3 integrin in mediating these immunological alterations.

PKCzeta at the crossroad of NF-kappaB and Jak1/Stat6 signaling pathways

The atypical protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms (aPKC) have been implicated in the regulation of a number of essential signaling events. Early studies using dominant-negative mutants suggested that they are important intermediaries in the activation of the canonical nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB pathway. More recent data using knockout mice genetically demonstrate that in fact the PKCzeta isoform is essential for the adequate activation of this cascade both upstream and downstream the IkappaB kinase complex. In this review, we summarize the mechanistic details whereby the aPKC pathway regulates important cellular functions and how this is achieved by the ability of these kinases to interact with different protein regulators and adapters, as well as to impinge in NF-kappaB-independent signaling cascades such as the Janus kinase-1/signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 system, which plays a critical role in T-cell-mediated hepatitis and asthma.