Relationship between IL-17, TNF-α, IL-10, IFN-γ, and IL-18 polymorphisms with the outcome of hepatitis B virus infection in the Turkish population

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: Hepatitis B virus is a global threat that can lead to liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. For the treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus, polymorphisms might be an option for gene treatments. This study aimed to investigate the effects of IL-17, TNF-α, IL-10, IFN-γ, and IL-18 gene polymorphisms on hepatitis B virus infection in the Turkish population. METHODS: The genotypes and allele distribution of 75 patients exposed to hepatitis B virus and 50 healthy control individuals were analyzed. The real-time polymerase chain reaction method was used for identification. RESULTS: A correlation was observed between susceptibility to hepatitis B virus infection and IL-17 Exon 3/3'UTR (rs1974226) C, IL-17 Exon 3 (rs763780) A, IL-18 (-607) (rs1946518) A alleles, and IL-17 Exon 3 (rs763780) AA genotype (p=0.006, p=0.009, p=0.025, and p=0.008, respectively). Furthermore, IL-18 (-137) (rs187238) TT genotype and TNF-α-308 (rs1800629) G and A alleles, were associated with protection against hepatitis B virus infection (p=0.0351 and p=0.032, respectively). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that TNF-α (-308), IL-17 (Exon 3/3' UTR), IL-17 (Exon 3), and IL-18 (-607) polymorphisms are associated with hepatitis B virus infection. Therefore, these may serve as potential therapeutic targets for chronic viral hepatitis in the Turkish population.

Study on the effect of miR-223-3p regulating transcription factor Rbpj on the differentiation of Th1 and Th17 cells in rats with experimental autoimmune uveitis / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

@#AIM: To investigate the regulatory effect of miR-223-3p on the expression of transcription factor Rbpj and on the differentiation of Th1 and Th17 cells in experimental autoimmune uveitis(EAU)rats.<p>METHODS: The regulatory role of miR-223-3p in Rbpj gene expression was investigated by a dual luciferase expression reporter system. In the present study, 24 female Lewis rats were randomly divided into EAU model group, normal control(NC)group and blank control(BC)group, and each group included 8 rats. The EAU model group was injected with interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein(IRBP)emulsion containing Mycobacterium tuberculin H37RA and complete Freund's adjuvant to induce uveitis, while the NC group was injected with an equal volume of emulsion without IRBP peptide. The rats in the BC group received the same volume of sterile saline solution. At 12d after immunization, the spleen, lymph node and eye tissues in both groups were aseptically isolated, and the expression levels of miR-223-3p and Rbpj RNAs were detected by real-time quantitative PCR(Q-PCR); Meanwhile, the expression levels of Rbpj, IFN-γ and IL-17 proteins were detected by ELISA, and the levels of Th1 and Th17 cell lineages in each tissue from each groups were detected by flow cytometry. <p>RESULTS: The results of dual fluorescein assay indicated that Rbpj was the target gene which regulated by miR-223-3p. At 12d after immunization, compared with NC group, the relative expression levels of miR-223-3p in spleen, lymph node and eye tissues from EAU model rats were 0.33±0.29, 0.11±0.12 and 0.18±0.11, respectively, accompanied by the down-regulated expression, and the differences were statistically significant(all <i>P</i><0.05); Rbpj mRNA levels were 3.00±0.06, 1.52±0.12 and 3.01±0.34, respectively, and were all up-regulated, while the differences were statistically significant(all <i>P</i><0.05). Moreover, the differences in miR-223-3p and Rbpj mRNA levels in spleen, lymph node and eye tissues of rats in the blank control group were not statistically significant compared with those in the NC group(<i>P</i>>0.05); ELISA results revealed that the expression levels of RBPJ, IFN-γ and IL-17 proteins in all tissues from EAU rats at 12d after immunization were significantly higher than those in the NC group( all <i>P</i><0.05), and there was no statistically significant difference in the expression levels of Rbpj, IFN-γ and IL-17 protein in all tissues of rats in the blank control group compared with the NC group(<i>P</i>>0.05); Meanwhile, flow cytometry results showed that the proportions of Th1 and Th17 cell lineages in all tissues from EAU model group were significantly higher than those from the NC group at 12d after immunization, and the differences were statistically significant(all <i>P</i><0.05). Furthermore,there was no significant change in the proportion of Th1 and Th17 cells in each tissue in the BC and NC groups(all <i>P</i> >0.05). <p>CONCLUSION: The miR-223-3p can negatively regulate the expression of the transcription factor Rbpj of Notch signaling pathway. The down-regulated miR-223-3p expression in EAU rats can increase the expression levels of Rbpj gene and protein, and aggravate the differentiation of Th1 and Th17 cells and the expression levels of related molecules IFN-γ and IL-17, which in turn affect the development of uveitis.

The Roles of IFN-γ in oncoimmunology and immunotherapy / 中国肿瘤生物治疗杂志

@#[摘 要] IFN-γ在抗肿瘤过程中发挥了重要作用，近年来人们逐渐认识到了其在肿瘤免疫治疗中的必要性。IFN-γ作用于肿瘤发生发展的全过程，其在抗肿瘤方面的作用机制主要分为免疫机制和非免疫机制。IFN-γ可以直接抑制肿瘤细胞增殖、促进肿瘤细胞凋亡、抑制肿瘤血管生成，协同固有免疫和适应性免疫的NK、NKT细胞、γδT细胞以及CD4+/CD8+T细胞等完成肿瘤杀伤。然而也有报道IFN-γ的促肿瘤作用，主要表现为在长期慢性炎症和肿瘤微环境中重塑免疫微环境促进免疫逃逸。因此，在肿瘤免疫治疗中要注意IFN-γ的双向效应，防止产生定向选择造成肿瘤免疫抑制。

Anti-tumor activity of chimeric antigen receptor modified NK-92 cells targeting MUC16 against ovarian cancer / 中国肿瘤生物治疗杂志

@#[Abstract] Objective: To explore the anti-tumor activity of MUC16-targeted chimeric antigen receptor modified NK-92 (CARNK-92) cells against ovarian cancer. Methods: The expression of MUC16 in surgically resected tumor tissues of 15 patients with ovarian cancer treated in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Qingyang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine and 4 ovarian tumor cell lines was detected by Immunohistochemistry and Flow cytometry. MUC CAR sequence was synthesized by gene synthesis, and its lentivirus expression vector were constructed. CARNK-92 cells targeting MUC16 (MUC-BBz) were obtained by lentivirus infection. The expression of CD107a in MUC-BBz was detected by Flow cytometry. The activation of MUC-BBz cells and its cytotoxicity against SKOV3 target cells were characterized by the release of LDH assay. The xenograft nude mouse model of SKOV3 cells was established to verify the in vivo anti-tumor activity of MUC-BBz cells. Results: MUC16 was highly expressed in ovarian cancer tissues and human ovarian cancer cells. MUC-BBz was successfully constructed by infecting NK-92 cells with lentivirus, with a positive rate of (42.79±2.58)%. MUC-BBz could be specifically activated by MUC16 over-expressing tumor cells. After co-incubation of effector cells and target cells, the expression of CD107a on MUC-BBz was upregulated significantly (P<0.01), and the ability of MUC-BBz secreting cytokines IFN-γ and perforin also increased (all P<0.01). The LDH test indicated that with the increase of effector-target ratio, the cytotoxicity of MUC-BBz against 4 ovarian cancer cells (hey, COC1, SKOV3 and A2780) also significantly enhanced. The results of transplanted tumor model showed that transfusion of MUC-BBz could significantly inhibit the growth of SKOV3 xenograft in mice (P<0.01). Conclusion: The CARNK-92 cells can significantly inhibit the growth of ovarian cancer cells in vitro and in vivo, which provides an important basis for further evaluation of its clinical application.

Short-term treatment efficacy of NK cells for ovarian cancer ascites / 中国肿瘤生物治疗杂志

@#[Abstract] Objective: To investigate the short-term clinical efficacy and safety of intraperitoneal perfusion of natural killer (NK) cells in the treatment of ovarian cancer with ascites. Methods: The clinical data of 15 ovarian cancer patients with ascites effusion, who received NK cell perfusion in the Qinhuai Medical District of the General Hospital of Eastern Theater Command from November 2016 to January 2019, were analyzed. The peripheral blood was collected to isolate the peripheral blood mononuclear cells, and to further obtain the NK cells after culture. NK cell suspension was intraperitoneally perfused into the abdominal cavity (no less than 2×109 cells/ time). The volume of peritoneal effusion, the level of serum tumor marker CA-125, the level of serum cytokines IL-2, INF-γ and TNF-α as well as the changes in peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets were detected before and after the treatment; Moreover, the clinical efficacy and adverse reactions were observed. Results: The effective rate of intraperitoneal perfusion of NK cells was 66.7%, and there were no obvious treatment-related adverse reactions. Compared with before treatment, the serum tumor marker CA-125 level significantly decreased after treatment (P<0.05), and the levels of IL-15, IFN-γ and TNF-α increased significantly (P<0.05 or P<0.01), while there was no significant changes in peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets (all P>0.05). Conclusion: Intraperitoneal infusion of NK cells in the treatment of ovarian cancer associated peritoneal effusion has a good short-term clinical efficacy with little adverse reactions, which is a promising method for the treatment of cancerous peritoneal effusion.

Construction of anti-BCMA chimeric antigen receptor (CAR-BCMA) modified T cells and its cytotoxicity against tumor cells / 中国肿瘤生物治疗杂志

@# Objective： ：To explore a novel chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell treatment to treat Multiple Myeloma (MM) via target B cell maturation antigen (BCMA). Methods： ：A CAR-BCMA molecular was constructed based on mouse originated BCMA scFv, and was packaged into lentiviral vector and transfected into T cells from healthy donors to construct CAR-BCMA-T cells. The BCMApositive cell lines A549-BCMA, A549-BCMAOFP and K562-BCMA were constructed as target cells. Then, the CAR-BCMA-T cells were co-incubated with the constructed target cells and human myeloma U266 cells, and the cytotoxic effects of CAR-BCMA-T cells were evaluated via CCK-8 and FACS. Finally, the CAR-BCMA-T cells originated from MM patients were constructed, and its cytotoxicity against A549-BCMA were examined; in addition, the IFN-γ release level in CAR-BCMA-T cells was evaluated by ELISA and FACS. Results: After 11 days’incubation, the CAR-BCMA-T cells originated from healthy donors amplified 300 times with a positive rate of 43%. The BCMApositive target cell lines were constructed successfully. Under an effector : target ratio of 5:1, the killing rates of CARBCMA-T cells against A549-BCMA, K562-BCMA and U266 were about 80%, 60%, and 80%, respectively, which were significantly higher than those against BCMA negative cells; and the cytotoxicity was related to the BCMA expression level in target cells. What’ s more, at the effector : target ratio of 20:1, the CAR-BCMA-T cells originated from MM patients were demonstrated to exhibit a killing rate of more than 95% againstA549-BCMApositive cells, and produced large amount of IFN-γ. Conclusion: CAR-BCMA-T cells originated from both healthy and MM donors were successfully constructed, and they can effectively and specifically kill BCMA positive tumor cells.

Effect of IFN-γ on the expression of IL-33 in colon cancer cells via PKA-CREB pathway / 临床检验杂志

Objective@#To investigate the effect of IFN-γ on the expression of IL-33 in colon cancer CT26 cells. @*Methods@#CT26 cells were treated with IFN-γ and IFN-γ combined with PKA inhibitor H89, respectively, and a negative control group (NC, untreated) was set up at the same time. The mRNA expression levels of PKA, CREB and IL-33 in CT26 cells were detected by qRT-PCR. The expression levels of PKA, CREB, p-CREB and IL-33 proteins in CT26 cells were determined by western blot. The localization of CREB protein in CT26 cells was analyzed by the immunofluorescence confocal microscopy. @*Results@#The relative expression levels of PKA, CREB and IL-33 mRNA in the IFN-γ-treated group were 2.50±0.11, 3.10±0.08 and 2.80±0.22, respectively, which were significantly higher than those in the NC group (P＜0.05). The relative expression levels of PKA, CREB and IL-33 mRNA in the IFN-γ combined with H89 treatment group were 0.21±0.02, 0.59±0.05 and 0.35±0.04, respectively, which were significantly lower than those in the NC group and IFN-γ-treated group (P＜0.05). The expression levels of PKA, CREB and IL-33 proteins detected by western blot were consistent with that of mRNA. Immunofluorescence confocal results showed that the expression level of CREB in the IFN-γ-treated group was significantly higher than that in the NC group, and that the expression level of CREB in the IFN-γ combined with H89 treatment group was significantly lower than that in the IFN-γ-treated group. @*Conclusion@#IFN-γ may induce the expression of IL-33 in colon cancer CT26 cells via the PKA-CREB pathway.

Effect of PD-1 knockout by CRISPR/Cas9 system on proliferation and IFN-γ secretion in human T lymphocytes / 中国肿瘤生物治疗杂志

@#Objective: : To explore the effect of PD-1 gene knockout by CRISPR/Cas9 system on the proliferation and IFN-γ secretion in human T cells. Methods: : The sequence of sgRNA targeting PD-1 was designed. The PD-1-sgRNA and Cas9 mRNA were synthesized by T7 RNApolymerase in vitro, and then the mixture of PD-1-sgRNAand Cas9 mRNAwas delivered into activated T cells by nucleofection. The efficiency of gene knockout was confirmed by sequencing. The phenotypes of T lymphocytes and the expression of PD-1 after gene knockout were analyzed by Flow cytometry. The proliferation of T lymphocytes was calculated by trypan blue counting. The level of IFN-γ secreted by T lymphocytes was detected by ELISA. Results： ：PD-1-sgRNA and Cas9 mRNA were successfully synthesized in vitro and delivered into T cells by nucleofection. Sequencing technology confirmed that the PD-1 gene sequence was edited and the editing efficiency was 58.3%. The expression of PD-1 on T lymphocyte surface was down-regulated successfully by CRISPR/Cas9 system [(9.6±1.85)% vs (16.2±2.05)%, P<0.05]. The knockout of PD-1 gene did not affect the proliferation and phenotype of T lymphocytes(P<0.05); However, compared with the control group, the level of IFN-γ secreted by T lymphocytes in the PD-1sgRNA group was significantly increased (P<0.01). Conclusion: : CRISPR/Cas9 system can successfully ablate PD-1 gene in human T lymphocytes, which could block the negative regulation of PD-1／PD-L1 and further promote the IFN-γ secretion in T cells.

Study on influence of the CpG DNA on activation of IFN-γ signaling transduction regulatory proteins / Монголын Анагаах Ухаан

Introduction@#When human body encounters external pathogens primary/innate immunity cells are activated by recognizing them and secondary/adaptive immunity is activated consecutively. In our previous study, we revealed that there is a synergistic action between TLR9 and IFN-γ signaling in the endothelial cells. @*Purpose@#To determine the role of negative and positive regulator proteins on the IFN-γ/TLR9 signaling pathway. @*Methods@#In this study, murine endothelial cell (END-D) culture was used. END-D cells pre-treated with TLR9 ligand CpG DNA and then stimulated with IFN-γ. The negative (SHP-2, SOCS1, PIAS1) and positive (p38) regulator protein expression was detected by Western blotting. @*Results and Conclusion@#Treatment by TLR9 ligand CpG DNA and IFN-γ increased positive regulator p38 phosphorylation in 0.5 hour. CpG DNA inhibited IFN-γ negative regulator PIAS1 protein expression in 6 hour and SOCS1 and SHP-2 expression could not affect in 4 hour.

The impact of initial periodontal therapy on the peripheral blood MMP-3 and IFN-γ levels in patients with oral lichen planus and chronic periodontitis / 实用口腔医学杂志

Objective:To investigate the significance of periodontal treatment on the levels of MMP-3 and IFN-γin the serum of patients with oral lichen planus(OLP) and chronic periodontitis(CP) before and after treatment.Methods:60 patients with erosion OLP and CP were divided into 2 groups randomly (n =30).The patients in experimental group received basic periodontal treatment combined with drug therapy,those in control group received drug therapy only.Before and after treatment the periodontal indexes of PD,AL,BI and PLI were measured in the experimental group,the levels of MMP-3 and IFN-γ in serum were tested by ELISA in the 2 groups,the differences of the data between 2 groups were statistically analysed.Results:After treatment the periodontol indexes were decreased in the experimental group(P ＜ 0.05),the serum MMP-3 and IFN-γ levels were lower than those before treatment in 2 groups(P＜0.05),and the decline of MMP-3 and IFN-γ in experimental group was more obvious than those in the control group (P＜0.05).Conclusion:Periodontal initial therapy has positive influence on the treatment of OLP and can reduce the level of inflammation.

Protective Effect of Boiled and Freeze-dried Mature Silkworm Larval Powder Against Diethylnitrosamine-induced Hepatotoxicity in Mice

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a representative inflammation-associated cancer and known to be the most frequent tumors. HCC may also induce important pro- and anti-tumor immune reactions. However, the underlying mechanisms are unsatisfactorily identified. We investigated the protective effect of boiled and freeze-dried mature silkworm larval powder (BMSP) on diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced hepatotoxicity in mice. METHODS: Mice were fed with diet containing BMSP (0.1, 1, and 10 g/kg) for two weeks and DEN (100 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) was injected 18 hours before the end of this experiment. Liver toxicity was determined in serum and histopathological examination was assessed in the liver tissues. Infiltration of immune cells and expressions of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines were also examined. RESULTS: Pretreatment with BMSP reduced necrotic and histopathological changes induced by DEN in the liver. Measurement of serum biochemical indicators, the levels of alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase, showed that pretreatment with BMSP also decreased DEN-induced hepatotoxicity. In addition, BMSP inhibited the macrophage and CD31 infiltration in a dose-dependent manner. The expressions of interleukin-1β, IFN-γ and chemokines for T cell activation were decreased in BMSP pretreatment groups. CONCLUSIONS: BMSP may have a protective effect against acute liver injury by inhibiting necrosis and inflammatory response in DEN-treated mice.

Anti-proliferative Activity of T-bet

T-bet is a critical transcription factor that regulates differentiation of Th1 cells from CD4+ precursor cells. Since T-bet directly binds to the promoter of the IFN-gamma gene and activates its transcription, T-bet deficiency impairs IFN-gamma production in Th1 cells. Interestingly, T-bet-deficient Th cells also display substantially augmented the production of IL-2, a T cell growth factor. Exogenous expression of T-bet in T-bet deficient Th cells rescued the IFN-gamma production and suppressed IL-2 expression. IFN-gamma and IL-2 reciprocally regulate Th cell proliferation following TCR stimulation. Therefore, we examined the effect of T-bet on Th cell proliferation and found that T-bet deficiency significantly enhanced Th cell proliferation under non-skewing, Th1-skewing, and Th2-skewing conditions. By using IFN-gamma-null mice to eliminate the anti-proliferative effect of IFN-gamma, T-bet deficiency still enhanced Th cell proliferation under both Th1- and Th2-skewing conditions. Since the anti-proliferative activity of T-bet may be influenced by IL-2 suppression in Th cells, we examined whether T-bet modulates IL-2-independent cell proliferation in a non-T cell population. We demonstrated that T-bet expression induced by ecdysone treatment in human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells increased IFN-gamma promoter activity in a dose dependent manner, and sustained T-bet expression considerably decreased cell proliferation in HEK cells. Although the molecular mechanisms underlying anti-proliferative activity of T-bet remain to be elucidated, T-bet may directly suppress cell proliferation in an IFN-gamma- or an IL-2-independent manner.

Cellular immune response following pre-exposure and postexposure rabies vaccination by intradermal and intramuscular routes

PURPOSE: Immunization against rabies in humans induces protective neutralizing antibodies; however, the induction of type 1 or type 2 cytokine mediated cellular immune responses following rabies vaccination is not understood. Hence, the present study investigated cellular cytokine responses in vaccinated individuals. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study groups included healthy rabies antigen naive controls (n=10), individuals who received intradermal primary (n=10) or booster pre-exposure vaccination (n=20) and subjects who received postexposure rabies vaccination either by intradermal (n=18) or intramuscular (n=20) routes. The antigen specific cellular responses were analyzed by stimulating peripheral blood mononuclear cells with a rabies vaccine antigen in the interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISpot) assay. These responses were compared to the rabies virus neutralizing antibody (RVNA) titers that were measured by rapid fluorescent focus inhibition test. RESULTS: We observed that cellular and humoral immune responses to primary intradermal rabies vaccination could be greatly enhanced by a booster vaccine; and both type 1 and type 2 cytokine responses were significantly elevated. The magnitude of type 1 and type 2 cytokine responses did not differ significantly among the intramuscular and intradermal routes of postexposure vaccination. The number of cells producing IFN-gamma and IL-4 correlated significantly with the levels of RVNA. CONCLUSION: Both type 1 and type 2 cellular cytokine responses are strongly induced after rabies vaccination and directly correlate with levels of RVNA titers. The neutralizing antibody as well as the type 1 and type 2 cytokine responses may be important for vaccine induced protective responses against rabies.

Benzylideneacetophenone derivatives attenuate IFN-gamma-induced IP-10/CXCL10 production in orbital fibroblasts of patients with thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy through STAT-1 inhibition

The aim of the present study was to identify a new candidate anti-inflammatory compound for use in the active stage of thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO). Benzylideneacetophenone compound JC3 [(2E)-3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)phenylpro-2-en-l-one] was synthesized based on a structural modification of yakuchinone B, a constituent of the seeds of Alpinia oxyphylla, which belongs to the ginger family (Zingiberaceae), has been widely used in folk medicine as an anti-inflammatory phytochemical. Orbital fibroblasts were primarily cultured from patients with TAO, and the potential of JC3 to suppress the interferon (IFN)-gamma-induced protein (IP)-10/CXCL10 production in these cells was determined. IFN-gamma strongly increased the level of IP-10/CXCL10 in orbital fibroblasts from patients with TAO. JC3 exerted a significant inhibitory effect on the IFN-gamma-induced increase in IP-10/CXCL10 in a dose-dependent manner; its potency was greater than that of an identical concentration of yakuchinone B with no toxicity to cells at the concentration range used. Moreover, the constructed dimer and trimer polystructures of JC3, showed greater potency than JC3 in suppressing the IFN-gamma-induced production of IP-10/CXCL10. JC3 significantly attenuated the IP-10/CXCL10 mRNA expression induced by IFN-gamma, and a gel-shift assay showed that JC3 suppressed IFN-gamma-induced DNA binding of signal transducer and activator of transcription-1 (STAT-1) in TAO orbital fibroblasts. Our results provide initial evidence that the JC3 compound reduces the levels of IP-10/CXCL10 protein and mRNA induced by IFN-gamma in orbital fibroblasts of TAO patients. Therefore, JC3 might be considered as a future candidate for therapeutic application in TAO that exerts its effects by modulating the pathogenic mechanisms in orbital fibroblasts.

Kinetics of IFN-gamma and IL-17 Production by CD4 and CD8 T Cells during Acute Graft-versus-Host Disease

Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a fatal complication that occurs after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. To understand the dynamics of CD4 and CD8 T cell production of IFN-gamma and IL-17 during GVHD progression, we established a GVHD model by transplanting T cell-depleted bone marrow (TCD-BM) and purified T cells from B6 mice into irradiated BALB.B, creating an MHC-matched but minor histocompatibility (H) antigen-mismatched transplantation (B6 --> BALB.B GVHD). Transplantation-induced GVHD was confirmed by the presence of the appropriate compositional changes in the T cell compartments and innate immune cells in the blood and the systemic secretion of inflammatory cytokines. Using this B6 --> BALB.B GVHD model, we showed that the production of IFN-gamma and IL-17 by CD4 T cells preceded that by CD8 T cells in the spleen, mesenteric lymph node, liver, and lung in the BALB.B GVHD host, and Th1 differentiation predated Th17 differentiation in all organs during GVHD progression. Such changes in cytokine production were based on changes in cytokine gene expression by the T cells at different time points during GVHD development. These results demonstrate that both IFN-gamma and IL-17 are produced by CD4 and CD8 T cells but with different kinetics during GVHD progression.

Effects of Endurance Training on the Serum Levels of Tumour Necrosis Factor-alpha and Interferon-gamma in Sedentary Men

Physical activity could be considered one of the factors that affect the immune system status and function. To find the relation between exercise and cytokines, we examined the possible effects of an 8-week endurance training program on the serum levels of cytokines, including tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) in sedentary men. A total of 30 healthy young male volunteers were randomly divided into an endurance training group and a control group. The training group followed a specific exercise protocol (running on a treadmill for 15~30 min at 50~70% maximal heart rate) for 8 weeks and the control group did not participate in any exercise program. Venous blood samples were collected from both the groups 24 h before and 24 h and 48 h after the exercise. Repeated ANOVA was used for statistical purposes. The serum levels of TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma were determined by ELISA. Significant (p0.05) decreases were observed in the serum levels of IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha, respectively, after the 8-week endurance training program. Our findings indicated that an 8-week endurance exercise may affect the serum levels of some inflammatory cytokines, suggesting the beneficial role of this training protocol in elderly population and people with certain conditions (inflammation of the vertebrae or other inflammatory diseases).

Extent of Mycobacterium bovis infection in dairy cattle herds subject to partial culling as determined by an interferon-gamma assay

The interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) assay is employed as a complementary diagnostic test for bovine tuberculosis (BTB) in many countries. To simplify this assay, we established a 96-well plate format using the ESAT-6 and CFP-10 antigens and then employed it to determine the extent of Mycobacterium (M.) bovis infection in dairy herds with a history of BTB outbreaks in a country where only selective culling is practiced. The sensitivity and specificity of this IFN-gamma assay were 85.9% and 100%, respectively, based on comparison with the conventional single intradermal tuberculin test (SIDT). The IFN-gamma assay was also positive in 30.4% and 36.8% of SIDT-negative animals from herds with recent and remote BTB outbreaks, respectively. Of 14 SIDT-negative, IFN-gamma positive cattle, five (35.7%) were culture positive and an additional six were positive based on a polymerase chain reaction-based test for M. bovis. Therefore, the IFN-gamma assay has the potential to serve as a specific and sensitive test for M. bovis infection in dairy cattle. Further, the results indicated that a substantial portion of SIDT-negative animals in herds with previous BTB outbreaks were actually infected with M. bovis. Accordingly, the present selective-culling strategy may require modifications to include this more sensitive assay.

Increased frequency of NK and gamma delta 1 T cells in a cohort of patients with sepsis * / Incremento en la frecuencia de células NK y células T gamma delta 1 en una cohorte de pacientes con sepsis

Introduction: The mechanisms involved in the immunopathogenesis of sepsis are not well established. The clinical and therapeutic relevance of several soluble mediators has been described and the contribution of cellular components with immunoregulatory roles has begun to be elucidated. Objective: To describe changes in the frequency and production of IFN- γ and IL-10 occurring in NK cells and γδ T lymphocytes in a cohort of patients with different manifestations of septic syndrome. Materials and methods: This was a prospective cohort study. Patients with sepsis (n=26), and severe sepsis (n=83) from adult emergency rooms and intensive care units, as well as healthy volunteers (n=8), were included. For all participants, the frequency and phenotype of NK cells and γδ T lymphocytes and the percentage of IFN- γ and IL-10 positive NK and γδ T cells were evaluated by flow cytometry. The NK cells were phenotyped based on the expression of CD56 and CD16 and the γδ T cells on the expression of d 1 and d 2 chains. Results: Patients with sepsis and severe sepsis exhibited an increase in the frequency of NK cells with changes in the proportion of the CD56 bright /CD16¯, CD56 bright /CD16 dim and CD56 dim CD16¯ subpopulations; these cells showed a proinflammatory cytokine profile. A decrease in the V d 2 subset of γδ T lymphocyte s was also observed. Conclusions: Our results indicate a role for NK and γδ T cells during sepsis, however, their exact contribution in the pathogenesis of sepsis syndrome requires further studies.

Introducción: Los mecanimos involucrados en la inmunopatogénesis de las sepsis no han sido claramente establecidos. La importancia clínica y terapéutica de diferentes mediadores solubles ha sido descrita y la contribución de componentes celulares con propiedades inmunorreguladoras ha empezado a dilucidarse. Objetivo: Describir los cambios en la frecuencia y en la producción de IFN- γ e IL-10 que se observa en células NK y linfocitos T γδ en una cohorte de pacientes con diferentes manifestaciones del síndrome séptico. Materiales y métodos: Estudio de cohorte prospectiva, donde pacientes con sepsis (n = 26) y sepsis grave (n = 83) provenientes de las salas de emergencias y unidades de cuidado intensivo, y controles sanos (n = 8) fueron incluidos. Tanto la frecuencia y fenotipo de las células NK y T γδ como el porcentaje de células IFN- γ+ e IL-10+ fueron evaluados mediante citometría de flujo. Las células NK fueron fenotipificadas con base en la expresión de las moléculas CD56 y CD 16 y los T γδ con base en la expresión de las cadenas δ1 y δ2. Resultados: En los pacientes con sepsis y sepsis grave se observó un incremento en la frecuencia de las células NK con cambios en las proporciones de las subpoblaciones CD56 bright /CD 16 ¯, CD56 bright /CD16 dim y CD56 dim CD16¯; en estas células se observó un perfil de citocinas proinflamarias. Se observó una reducción en el porcentaje de células Vδ2. Conclusiones: Los resultados sugieren un papel de las células NK y linfocitos T γδ durante la sepsis; sin embargo, su contribución en la patogénesis de este síndrome requiere estudios adicionales.

Role of Citrullinated Fibrinogen Peptides in the Activation of CD4 T Cells from Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

This study was conducted to determine whether CD4 T cell responses to citrullinated fibrinogen occur in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), especially in HLA-DR4-positive subjects. Whole peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of RA patients and control subjects were stimulated with citrullinated fibrinogen peptides, and T-cell production of proliferation and proinflammatory cytokines, such as interferon-gamma(IFN-gamma) and interleukin-17A (IL-17A), were measured. In addition, CD4 T cells from RA patients were stimulated with the citrullinated fibrinogen peptide, Fib-alpha R84Cit, identified as a DRB1*0401-restricted T cell epitope in HLA-DR4 transgenic mice, and the degree of T cell activation was examined similarly. No proliferative responses to the citrullinated fibrinogen peptides were observed in whole PBMCs or CD4 T cells from RA patients. Furthermore, no increased production of IFN-gamma or IL-17A was found in whole PBMCs or CD4 T cells stimulated with the citrullinated fibrinogen peptides, although these cells responded to recall antigen, a mixture of tetanus toxoid, purified protein derivative (PPD) from Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and Candida albicans. The results of this study indicate that anti-citrulline immunity in RA patients may be mediated by fibrinogen because there is no evidence of CD4 T cell-mediated immune responses to citrullinated fibrinogen peptides.

Mesenchymal Stem Cell Lines Isolated by Different Isolation Methods Show Variations in the Regulation of Graft-versus-host Disease

Since the discovery of the immunomodulation property of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) about a decade ago, it has been extensively investigated whether MSCs can be used for the treatment of immune-related diseases, such as graft-versus-host disease (GvHD). However, how to evaluate the efficacy of human MSCs for the clinical trial is still unclear. We used an MHC-mismatched model of GvHD (B6 into BALB/c). Surprisingly, the administration of the human MSCs (hMSCs) could reduce the GvHD-related mortality of the mouse recipients and xenogeneically inhibit mouse T-cell proliferation and IFN-gamma production in vitro. We recently established a new protocol for the isolation of a homogeneous population of MSCs called subfractionation culturing methods (SCM), and established a library of clonal MSC lines. Therefore, we also investigated whether MSCs isolated by the conventional gradient centrifugation method (GCM) and SCM show different efficacy in vivo. Intriguingly, clonal hMSCs (hcMSCs) isolated by SCM showed better efficacy than hMSCs isolated by GCM. Based on these results, the MHC-mismatched model of GvHD may be useful for evaluating the efficacy of human MSCs before the clinical trial. The results of this study suggest that different MSC lines may show different efficacy in vivo and in vitro.