Mycophenolic acid, an inhibitor of IMP dehydrogenase that is also an immunosuppressive agent, suppresses the cytokine-induced nitric oxide production in mouse and rat vascular endothelial cells

Mycophenolic acid (MPA), an inhibitor of IMP dehydrogenase and de novo GTP biosynthesis, also has immunosuppressive activity. The effect of MPA on nitric oxide (NO) production by rodent brain vascular endothelial cells in culture was investigated. MPA inhibited NO production by mouse and rat brain endothelial cells that had been stimulated with a combination of interferon-gamma and tumor necrosis factor-alpha. The 50% inhibitory concentration (EC50) was in the range of 0.5-1.0 microM. However, MPA had no effect on basal NO production in mouse brain vascular endothelial cells. Brequinar, an inhibitor of de novo pyrimidine synthesis, had no effect on NO production in cytokine stimulated endothelial cells. Guanosine, which can act as a salvage pathway precursor for GTP biosynthesis, reversed the inhibitory effect of MPA in a dose-dependent fashion. We suggest that inducible NO synthase activity is dependent on GTP level and can be blocked by curtailing IMP dehydrogenase activity.

Some antioxidants inhibit, in a co-ordinate fashion, the production of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, IL-beta, and IL-6 by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells

Some antioxidants, including butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), tetrahydropapaveroline (THP), nordihydroguiauretic acid, and 10,11-dihydroxyaporphine (DHA), were found to be potent inhibitors of the production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, IL-1 beta, and IL-6 by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (IC50s in the low micromolar range). Inhibition of cytokine production was gene selective and not due to general effects on protein synthesis. Inhibition of cytokine production by PBMC was observed also when other inducers were used (staphylococci, silica, zymosan). Much higher concentrations of other antioxidants--including ascorbic acid, trolox, alpha-tocopherol, butylated hydroxytoluene, and the 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor zileuton--did not affect the production of these cytokines. The active compounds did not inhibit IL-1-induced production of IL-6 in fibroblasts, showing the cell selectivity of the effect. Antioxidant-mediated inhibition of cytokine production was correlated with low levels of the corresponding messenger RNAs. Nuclear run-on experiments showed that THP inhibited transcription of the IL-1 beta gene. THP decreased the concentration of the transcription factors NF-kappa B and AP-1 detected in nuclear extracts of PBMC cultured in the presence or absence of LPS. THP and DHA markedly decreased the levels of TNF-alpha and IL-1 beta in the circulation of mice following LPS injection. Thus antioxidants vary widely in potency as inhibitors of the activation of transcription factors and of the transcription of genes for pro-inflammatory cytokines. Coordinate inhibition of the transcription of genes for inflammatory cytokines could provide a strategy for therapy of diseases with inflammatory pathogenesis and for septic shock.

A synthetic fragment of rat transforming growth factor alpha with receptor binding and antigenic properties

A fragment of rat transforming growth factor alpha (TGF alpha) comprising the third disulfide loop (residues 34-43) was selected as a potential antigenic and receptor binding region. Immunization of rabbits with a peptide conjugate resulted in antibodies which were specific for both the peptide and rat TGF alpha, but not for the homologous epidermal growth factor (EGF). The synthetic decapeptide exhibited low affinity for EGF receptors on human cells. Affinity was increased 100x to 0.2% of EGF or TGF alpha binding by blocking the peptide ends. The blocked decapeptide had no mitogenic activity but prevented the mitogenic effect of EGF and TGF alpha on fibroblasts. This decapeptide is an antagonist and contains an important receptor binding region of TGF alpha.

The absence of antibodies to type II collagen in established adjuvant arthritis in rats

Utilizing an adjuvant arthritis model in rats, we examined humoral immunity to collagen and inflammation in animals with active disease and during drug therapy. Humoral immunity to types I or II collagen was not detected in the sera of rats with advanced adjuvant arthritis; this was in marked contrast to rats with type II collagen-induced arthritis which possessed serum antibodies to native and denatured type II collagen. Hind paw edema and bone pathology were monitored as parameters of inflammation. A new investigational drug, Wy-41,770, was most effective in reducing all of these aspects of inflammatory disease while indomethacin, methylprednisolone, and D-penicillamine caused a less significant diminution of only some of these parameters of inflammation. Antibodies to collagen were not detected in the sera of rats treated with the drugs under study. These data demonstrate that adjuvant arthritis can occur in rats in the absence of antibodies to types I or II collagen.

Immune response to connective tissue components of the basement membrane

The immune response to connective tissue components of basement membrane (type IV collagen and laminin) and to interstitial collagen (type I) has been examined in human and murine systems. We also examined the role that immunologic sensitization to autologous connective tissue components might play in inducing an inflammatory response resulting in pathologic sequelae. Mice receiving a single subcutaneous injection of 5 micrograms type IV or type I murine collagens, or murine laminin in complete Freund's adjuvant mount a delayed-type hypersensitivity response characterized by a mononuclear cell infiltrate when challenged in the footpad with the sensitizing antigen. Cell-mediated immunity to these connective tissue antigens can be transferred to normal syngeneic mice with sensitized T-lymphocytes. In addition, repeated immunizations with these homologous connective tissue components elicit antibody responses in mice. Our data demonstrate the immunogenic nature of types IV and I collagen, and of laminin in a syngeneic murine model. We have demonstrated autoantibodies to the basement membrane and interstitial collagens in the sera of patients with scleroderma (systemic sclerosis); ELISA ratios correlate directly with the extent of pulmonary fibrosis in these patients. Anti-type IV collagen autoantibodies were found to be primarily IgM and anti-type I collagen antibodies, primarily IgG. An antibody response to autologous connective tissue antigens could lead to complement activation, immune complex formation, and deposition of the complexes along vascular endothelium with recruitment of blood monocytes in situ, mirroring the early scleroderma lesion (perivascular mononuclear cell filtrates). In vitro we examined the role of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells in the activation of fibroblasts. Adherent human blood monocytes release mediators which stimulate fibroblast proliferation and collagen deposition. A model is presented for the induction of immunity to autologous connective tissue components, leading to mononuclear cell inflammation, fibroblast activation and fibrosis. Selective immunity to basement membrane collagens may influence the clinical expression of diffuse connective tissue syndromes such as scleroderma (systemic sclerosis).