Use of periodate-lysine-paraformaldehyde for the fixation of multiple antigens in human skin biopsies

A Guide Toward Multi-scale and Quantitative Branching Analysis in the Mammary Gland

The mammary gland consists of a bilayered epithelial structure with an extensively branched morphology. The majority of this epithelial tree is laid down during puberty, during which actively proliferating terminal end buds repeatedly elongate and bifurcate to form the basic structure of the ductal tree. Mammary ducts consist of a basal and luminal cell layer with a multitude of identified sub-lineages within both layers. The understanding of how these different cell lineages are cooperatively driving branching morphogenesis is a problem of crossing multiple scales, as this requires information on the macroscopic branched structure of the gland, as well as data on single-cell dynamics driving the morphogenic program. Here we describe a method to combine genetic lineage tracing with whole-gland branching analysis. Quantitative data on the global organ structure can be used to derive a model for mammary gland branching morphogenesis and provide a backbone on which the dynamics of individual cell lineages can be simulated and compared to lineage-tracing approaches. Eventually, these quantitative models and experiments allow to understand the couplings between the macroscopic shape of the mammary gland and the underlying single-cell dynamics driving branching morphogenesis.

The Accessory Gene saeP of the SaeR/S Two-Component Gene Regulatory System Impacts Staphylococcus aureus Virulence During Neutrophil Interaction

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) causes a range of diseases ranging from superficial skin and soft-tissue infections to invasive and life-threatening conditions (Klevens et al., 2007; Kobayashi et al., 2015). S. aureus utilizes the Sae sensory system to adapt to neutrophil challenge. Although the roles of the SaeR response regulator and its cognate sensor kinase SaeS have been demonstrated to be critical for surviving neutrophil interaction and for causing infection, the roles for the accessory proteins SaeP and SaeQ remain incompletely defined. To characterize the functional role of these proteins during innate immune interaction, we generated isogenic deletion mutants lacking these accessory genes in USA300 (USA300ΔsaeP and USA300ΔsaeQ). S. aureus survival was increased following phagocytosis of USA300ΔsaeP compared to USA300 by neutrophils. Additionally, secreted extracellular proteins produced by USA300ΔsaeP cells caused significantly more plasma membrane damage to human neutrophils than extracellular proteins produced by USA300 cells. Deletion of saeQ resulted in a similar phenotype, but effects did not reach significance during neutrophil interaction. The enhanced cytotoxicity of USA300ΔsaeP cells toward human neutrophils correlated with an increased expression of bi-component leukocidins known to target these immune cells. A saeP and saeQ double mutant (USA300ΔsaePQ) showed a significant increase in survival following neutrophil phagocytosis that was comparable to the USA300ΔsaeP single mutant and increased the virulence of USA300 during murine bacteremia. These data provide evidence that SaeP modulates the Sae-mediated response of S. aureus against human neutrophils and suggest that saeP and saeQ together impact pathogenesis in vivo.

Use of fixatives for immunohistochemistry and their application for detection of retinoic acid synthesizing enzymes in the central nervous system

Retinoic acid (RA) is a lipid signaling molecule that has a crucial role in growth and survival of neurons as well as regulation of neuronal plasticity in the central nervous system. Complete understanding of the distribution of RA is necessary to identify foci of RA signaling. However, RA itself is very difficult to detect by immunohistochemistry as there are few effective antibodies to this lipid and it can be difficult to fix in place in tissue. A set of retinaldehyde dehydrogenases (RALDHs) catalyze the last step of RA synthesis and their distribution can be used as a proxy for RA distribution. This protocol uses the example of RALDH2 expression in the motor neurons of the spinal cord as a demonstration of the approach and describes methods that can improve its effectiveness. Immunodetection is impacted by protein cross linking and protein denaturation as well as antigen/epitope masking by various fixatives. Finding a suitable fixative that preserves morphology and tissue structure by linking cellular component such as proteins and lipids in an indissoluble macromolecular network while keeping functional groups, including antigens, intact is essential. Here, we discuss fixatives in general and also describe a fixation protocol that allows detection of multiple antigens in the same section with a periodate-lysine-paraformaldehyde (PLP) fixative. This keeps tissue structure and antigen well preserved in the adult spinal cord to show RALDH2 expression in motor neurons.

Fractionated head and neck irradiation impacts taste progenitors, differentiated taste cells, and Wnt/β-catenin signaling in adult mice

Head and neck cancer patients receiving conventional repeated, low dose radiotherapy (fractionated IR) suffer from taste dysfunction that can persist for months and often years after treatment. To understand the mechanisms underlying functional taste loss, we established a fractionated IR mouse model to characterize how taste buds are affected. Following fractionated IR, we found as in our previous study using single dose IR, taste progenitor proliferation was reduced and progenitor cell number declined, leading to interruption in the supply of new taste receptor cells to taste buds. However, in contrast to a single dose of IR, we did not encounter increased progenitor cell death in response to fractionated IR. Instead, fractionated IR induced death of cells within taste buds. Overall, taste buds were smaller and fewer following fractionated IR, and contained fewer differentiated cells. In response to fractionated IR, expression of Wnt pathway genes, Ctnnb1, Tcf7, Lef1 and Lgr5 were reduced concomitantly with reduced progenitor proliferation. However, recovery of Wnt signaling post-IR lagged behind proliferative recovery. Overall, our data suggest carefully timed, local activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling may mitigate radiation injury and/or speed recovery of taste cell renewal following fractionated IR.

Vaccinia virus hijacks EGFR signalling to enhance virus spread through rapid and directed infected cell motility

Cell motility is essential for viral dissemination1. Vaccinia virus (VACV), a close relative of smallpox virus, is thought to exploit cell motility as a means to enhance the spread of infection1. A single viral protein, F11L, contributes to this by blocking RhoA signalling to facilitate cell retraction2. However, F11L alone is not sufficient for VACV-induced cell motility, indicating that additional viral factors must be involved. Here, we show that the VACV epidermal growth factor homologue, VGF, promotes infected cell motility and the spread of viral infection. We found that VGF secreted from early infected cells is cleaved by ADAM10, after which it acts largely in a paracrine manner to direct cell motility at the leading edge of infection. Real-time tracking of cells infected in the presence of EGFR, MAPK, FAK and ADAM10 inhibitors or with VGF-deleted and F11-deleted viruses revealed defects in radial velocity and directional migration efficiency, leading to impaired cell-to-cell spread of infection. Furthermore, intravital imaging showed that virus spread and lesion formation are attenuated in the absence of VGF. Our results demonstrate how poxviruses hijack epidermal growth factor receptor-induced cell motility to promote rapid and efficient spread of infection in vitro and in vivo.

SOX2 regulation by hedgehog signaling controls adult lingual epithelium homeostasis

Adult tongue epithelium is continuously renewed from epithelial progenitor cells, a process that requires hedgehog (HH) signaling. In mice, pharmacological inhibition of the HH pathway causes taste bud loss within a few weeks. Previously, we demonstrated that sonic hedgehog (SHH) overexpression in lingual progenitors induces ectopic taste buds with locally increased SOX2 expression, suggesting that taste bud differentiation depends on SOX2 downstream of HH. To test this, we inhibited HH signaling in mice and observed a rapid decline in Sox2 and SOX2-GFP expression in taste epithelium. Upon conditional deletion of Sox2, differentiation of both taste and non-taste epithelial cells was blocked, and progenitor cell number increased. In contrast to basally restricted proliferation in controls, dividing cells were overabundant and spread to suprabasal epithelial layers in mutants. SOX2 loss in progenitors also led non-cell-autonomously to taste cell apoptosis, dramatically shortening taste cell lifespans. Finally, in tongues with conditional Sox2 deletion and SHH overexpression, ectopic and endogenous taste buds were not detectable; instead, progenitor hyperproliferation expanded throughout the lingual epithelium. In summary, we show that SOX2 functions downstream of HH signaling to regulate lingual epithelium homeostasis.

β-catenin is required for taste bud cell renewal and behavioral taste perception in adult mice

Taste stimuli are transduced by taste buds and transmitted to the brain via afferent gustatory fibers. Renewal of taste receptor cells from actively dividing progenitors is finely tuned to maintain taste sensitivity throughout life. We show that conditional β-catenin deletion in mouse taste progenitors leads to rapid depletion of progenitors and Shh⁺ precursors, which in turn causes taste bud loss, followed by loss of gustatory nerve fibers. In addition, our data suggest LEF1, TCF7 and Wnt3 are involved in a Wnt pathway regulatory feedback loop that controls taste cell renewal in the circumvallate papilla epithelium. Unexpectedly, taste bud decline is greater in the anterior tongue and palate than in the posterior tongue. Mutant mice with this regional pattern of taste bud loss were unable to discern sweet at any concentration, but could distinguish bitter stimuli, albeit with reduced sensitivity. Our findings are consistent with published reports wherein anterior taste buds have higher sweet sensitivity while posterior taste buds are better tuned to bitter, and suggest β-catenin plays a greater role in renewal of anterior versus posterior taste buds.

By remaining relatively constant throughout adult life, the sense of taste helps keep the body healthy. However, taste perception can be disrupted by various environmental factors, including cancer therapies. Here, we show that Wnt/β-catenin signaling, a pathway known to control normal tissue maintenance and associated with the development of cancers, is required for taste cell renewal and behavioral taste sensitivity in mice. Our findings are significant as they suggest that chemotherapies targeting the Wnt pathway in cancerous tissues may cause taste dysfunction and further diminish the quality of life of patients.

Sonic hedgehog from both nerves and epithelium is a key trophic factor for taste bud maintenance

The integrity of taste buds is intimately dependent on an intact gustatory innervation, yet the molecular nature of this dependency is unknown. Here, we show that differentiation of new taste bud cells, but not progenitor proliferation, is interrupted in mice treated with a hedgehog (Hh) pathway inhibitor (HPI), and that gustatory nerves are a source of sonic hedgehog (Shh) for taste bud renewal. Additionally, epithelial taste precursor cells express Shh transiently, and provide a local supply of Hh ligand that supports taste cell renewal. Taste buds are minimally affected when Shh is lost from either tissue source. However, when both the epithelial and neural supply of Shh are removed, taste buds largely disappear. We conclude Shh supplied by taste nerves and local taste epithelium act in concert to support continued taste bud differentiation. However, although neurally derived Shh is in part responsible for the dependence of taste cell renewal on gustatory innervation, neurotrophic support of taste buds likely involves a complex set of factors.

Defining B cell immunodominance to viruses

Immunodominance (ID) defines the hierarchical immune response to competing antigens in complex immunogens. Little is known regarding B cell and antibody ID despite its importance in immunity to viruses and other pathogens. We show that B cells and serum antibodies from inbred mice demonstrate a reproducible ID hierarchy to the five major antigenic sites in the influenza A virus hemagglutinin globular domain. The hierarchy changed as the immune response progressed, and it was dependent on antigen formulation and delivery. Passive antibody transfer and sequential infection experiments demonstrated 'original antigenic suppression', a phenomenon in which antibodies suppress memory responses to the priming antigenic site. Our study provides a template for attaining deeper understanding of antibody ID to viruses and other complex immunogens.

Loss of Drosophila nucleostemin 2 (NS2) blocks nucleolar release of the 60S subunit leading to ribosome stress

Four nucleostemin-like proteins (nucleostemin (NS) 1-4) were identified previously in Drosophila melanogaster. NS1 and NS2 are nucleolar proteins, while NS3 and NS4 are cytoplasmic proteins. We showed earlier that NS1 (homologous to human GNL3) enriches within the granular components (GCs) of Drosophila nucleoli and is required for efficient maturation or nucleolar release of the 60S subunit. Here, we show that NS2 is homologous to the human nucleostemin-like protein, Ngp1 (GNL2), and that endogenous NS2 is expressed in both progenitor and terminally differentiated cell types. Exogenous GFP-NS2 enriched within nucleolar GCs versus endogenous fibrillarin that marked the dense fibrillar components (DFCs). Like NS1, depletion of NS2 in midgut cells blocked the release of the 60S subunit as detected by the accumulation of GFP-RpL11 within nucleoli, and this likely led to the general loss of 60S subunits as shown by immunoblot analyses of RpL23a and RpL34. At the ultrastructural level, nucleoli in midgut cells depleted of NS2 displayed enlarged GCs not only on the nucleolar periphery but interspersed within the DFCs. Depletion of NS2 caused ribosome stress: larval midgut cells displayed prominent autophagy marked by the appearance of autolysosomes containing mCherry-ATG8a and the appearance of rough endoplasmic reticulum (rER)-derived isolation membranes. Larval imaginal wing disc cells depleted of NS2 induced apoptosis as marked by anti-caspase 3 labeling; loss of these progenitor cells resulted in defective adult wings. We conclude that nucleolar proteins NS1 and NS2 have similar but non-overlapping roles in the final maturation or nucleolar release of 60S ribosomal subunits.

Locally Produced IL-10 Limits Cutaneous Vaccinia Virus Spread

Skin infection with the poxvirus vaccinia (VV) elicits a powerful, inflammatory cellular response that clears virus infection in a coordinated, spatially organized manner. Given the high concentration of pro-inflammatory effectors at areas of viral infection, it is unclear how tissue pathology is limited while virus-infected cells are being eliminated. To better understand the spatial dynamics of the anti-inflammatory response to a cutaneous viral infection, we first screened cytokine mRNA expression levels after epicutaneous (ec.) VV infection and found a large increase the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. Ex vivo analyses revealed that T cells in the skin were the primary IL-10-producing cells. To understand the distribution of IL-10-producing T cells in vivo, we performed multiphoton intravital microscopy (MPM) of VV-infected mice, assessing the location and dynamic behavior of IL-10 producing cells. Although virus-specific T cells were distributed throughout areas of the inflamed skin lacking overt virus-infection, IL-10+ cells closely associated with large keratinocytic foci of virus replication where they exhibited similar motility patterns to bulk antigen-specific CD8+ T cells. Paradoxically, neutralizing secreted IL-10 in vivo with an anti-IL-10 antibody increased viral lesion size and viral replication. Additional analyses demonstrated that IL-10 antibody administration decreased recruitment of CCR2+ inflammatory monocytes, which were important for reducing viral burden in the infected skin. Based upon these findings, we conclude that spatially concentrated IL-10 production limits cutaneous viral replication and dissemination, likely through modulation of the innate immune repertoire at the site of viral growth.

Inflammatory events in a vascular remodeling model induced by surgical injury to the rat carotid artery

1.--The aim of our study was to gain insight into the molecular and cellular mechanisms of the inflammatory response to arterial injury in a rat experimental model. 2.--Rats (five for each experimental time) were subjected to brief clamping and longitudinal incision of a carotid artery and monitored for 30 days. Subsequently, Nuclear Factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) expression was measured by electrophoretic mobility shift assay. Heat shock protein (HSP) 27, HSP47 and HSP70 were evaluated by Western blot. Morphological changes of the vessel wall were investigated by light and electron microscopy. 3.--In injured rat carotid artery NF-kappaB activity started immediately upon injury, and peaked between 2 and 3 weeks later. Western blot showed a significant increase of HSP47 and HSP70 7 days after injury. At 2 weeks postinjury, HSP27 expression peaked. Light microscopy showed a neointima formation, discontinuity of the media layer and a rich infiltrate. Among infiltrating cells electron microscopy identified dendritic-like cells in contact with lymphocytes. 4.--Our model of surgical injury induces a significant inflammatory process characterized by enhanced NF-kappaB activity and HSPs hyperexpression. Dendritic-like cells were for the first time identified as a novel component of tissue repair consequent to acute arterial injury.

Comparison of cell fixation methods of induced sputum specimens: an immunocytochemical analysis

Induced sputum (IS) is a non-invasive method to evaluate airway inflammation. Various techniques are used to fix IS cells but their respective value has never been compared. We aimed to determine the best IS cell fixation technique for cellular markers staining. Cells were fixed using four methods: 1) periodate-paraformaldehyde-lysine (PLP)-sucrose, 2) paraformaldehyde 4% on slide and 3) in solution and 4) acetone-methanol. Analysis was based on percentage of positive cells compared to total cell counts stained by hematoxylin and quality of staining. Using PLP-sucrose resulted in a higher percentage of positive cells for CD3 and a better quality of staining. Acetone-methanol showed a lower percentage of positive cells for CD68 and a poor quality. PLP-sucrose gives the best results for the preservation of the studied cell markers and acetone-methanol the worst.

Increased circulating levels of tissue kallikrein in systemic sclerosis correlate with microvascular involvement

BACKGROUND

In systemic sclerosis (SSc) the lack of an angiogenic response to hypoxia may be due to inappropriate synthesis of angiogenic and angiostatic factors. Tissue kallikrein (t-kallikrein), regulating the kallikrein-kinin system and acting on the microcirculation, is a potent angiogenic agent, and kallistatin is its natural inhibitor.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate, in patients with SSc, t-kallikrein and kallistatin levels and their correlation with clinical features and measures of microvascular involvement.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Serum levels of t-kallikrein and kallistatin (ELISA) and t-kallikrein skin expression (immunohistochemistry) were studied in patients with SSc, and evaluated for subset (dSSc or lSSc), clinical and immunological features, and microvascular involvement (ulcers, telangiectasias, nailfold videocapillaroscopy).

RESULTS

Circulating levels of t-kallikrein were higher in SSc than in controls (p<0.001). T-kallikrein did not differ between lSSc and dSSc, although it was higher in lSSc than in controls (p<0.001).T-kallikrein levels were higher in patients with early and active capillaroscopic pattern than in those with late pattern (p = 0.019 and 0.023). Patients with giant capillaries and capillary microhaemorrhages had higher t-kallikrein concentrations than patients with architectural derangement (p = 0.04). No differences in kallistatin levels were detected between patients with SSc and controls, or between lSSc and dSSc. In early SSc skin, the presence of t-kallikrein was found in endothelial and in perivascular inflammatory cells, while no staining in skin of advanced SSc was detected.

CONCLUSION

T-kallikrein levels are increased in patients with SSc, particularly in lSSc, and are associated with early and active capillaroscopic patterns. T-kallikrein may play a part in SSc microvascular changes.