Ginsenoside protopanaxadiol protects adult retinal pigment epithelial-19 cells from chloroquine by modulating autophagy and apoptosis.

Chloroquine often causes serious eye and vision problems, which are mainly mediated by lysosomotropic alteration. In this study, we investigated whether the ginsenoside protopanaxadiol relieves chloroquine-induced retinopathy by restoring lysosomotropic abnormalities in human adult retinal pigment epithelial-19 cells. Cytotoxicity was assessed using a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. Morphological alterations in autophagosomes of adult retinal pigment epithelial-19 cells was detected using confocal microscopy. Apoptosis was examined using flow cytometry, whereas cellular reactive oxygen species levels were determined by measuring the fluorescence intensity of 5-(and-6)-carboxy-2'-7'-dichlorohydrofluorescein diacetate. Lysosomal function was assessed by measuring lysosomal pH and enzyme activity. Immunoprecipitation and western blotting analyses were performed. Adult retinal pigment epithelial-19 cells accumulated autophagosomes with fusion defects in lysosomes and reactive oxygen species formation following exposure to chloroquine. This effect trapped Beclin-1 and B-cell lymphoma 2 interfering with autophagy initiation and autophagosome development. Protopanaxadiol alleviated chloroquine-induced toxicity by modulating the interaction between Beclin-1 and Bcl-2, which was mediated by the AMP-activated protein kinase-mammalian target of rapamycin signal axis. Furthermore, autophagy and apoptosis were simultaneously controlled by protopanaxadiol via upregulation of autophagy flux and decreased reactive oxygen species formation and apoptotic protein expression. These findings suggest that protopanaxadiol is a promising treatment strategy for chloroquine-mediated retinopathy.

Phylogenetic analysis of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus in Vietnam, 2021.

The porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) causes more economic losses in the swine industry than any other virus. This study aimed to investigate the genetic diversity of PRRSV to assist in evaluating the effectiveness of PRRS vaccines. Twenty-eight samples from clinical cases were collected from 19 farms in seven provinces of Vietnam in 2021. Full-length PRRSV ORF5 genes from the 19 samples were amplified, sequenced, and compared to the corresponding sequences of referenced PRRSV strains from Genbank. The genetic analysis showed that 12 isolates were the highly pathogenic PRRSV subtype (HP-PRRSV) lineage 8, sublineage 8.7; six isolates were the classical North American PRRSV subtype (US-PRRSV), NADC-like group, lineage 1, sublineage 1.4, which were reported in Vietnam for the first time; and the final isolate was a vaccine-like strain. The field isolates of HP-PRRSV had relatively higher genetic diversity with US-PRRSV vaccine strains (84.0-94.5%) than HP-PRRSV vaccine strains (95.3-98.6%). Meanwhile, the six NADC-like isolates had low nucleotide similarity with US-PRRSV and HP-PRRSV vaccine strains (83.4-85.4% and 83.2-84.0%, respectively). Many amino acid substitutions were found in antigenic regions of GP5 involved in response to early antibody production, neutralizing antibodies, and viral immune evasion between these field strains and PRRSV vaccine strains. These findings provide insights into the molecular characteristics, genetic diversity, antigenicity, and evolution of PRRSV strains in Vietnam and postulate a compelling explanation for the limitations of current vaccination efforts.

Casein kinase I inhibitor D4476 influences autophagy and apoptosis in chloroquine-induced adult retinal pigment epithelial-19 cells.

The antimalarial drug chloroquine (CQ) induces retinopathy, a disorder characterized by lysosomotropic alteration. In this study, we examined whether D4476 (4-(4-(2,3-dihydrobenzo [1,4] dioxin-6-yl)-5-pyridin-2-yl-1H-imidazole-2-yl) benzamide), a specific casein kinase 1 inhibitor, alleviate CQ-induced retinopathy in adult retinal pigment epithelial (ARPE-19) cells. Cultured ARPE-19 cells were exposed to CQ with or without D4476 and cell death was quantified using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. To examine autophagy flux, ARPE-19 cells were transfected with green fluorescence protein light chain 3 (GFP-LC3)-red fluorescence protein (RFP)-LC3ΔG plasmid DNA and co-stained with the lysosomal-associated membrane protein (LAMP)-1 antibody. Western blotting and fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) showed apoptosis, whereas the fluorescence intensity of 2'-7'-dichlorofluorescein diacetate revealed levels of cellular oxidative stress. We then confirmed the effect of D4476 on the interaction between Beclin 1 and B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) through immunoprecipitation with an anti-Bcl-2 antibody. Following CQ exposure, ARPE-19 cells accumulated autophagosomes because of defective lysosomal degradation. Furthermore, CQ trapped Beclin 1 with Bcl-2, disturbing autophagy initiation and autolysosome formation. However, D4476 alleviated CQ-induced effects by rescuing ARPE-19 cells from CQ-induced toxicity by modulating the association between Beclin 1 and Bcl-2. Therefore, D4476 controls autophagy and apoptosis simultaneously by upregulating autophagy flux, decreasing ROS formation, and triggering the expression of anti-apoptotic proteins through inhibition of mTOR, JNK, and p38 MAPK signals. We conclude that D4476 is a promising treatment strategy for CQ-mediated retinopathy.

CSNK1G2 differently sensitizes tamoxifen-induced decrease in PI3K/AKT/mTOR/S6K and ERK signaling according to the estrogen receptor existence in breast cancer cells.

Tamoxifen (TAM) is a selective estrogen receptor modulator used for breast cancer patients. Prolonged use of tamoxifen is not recommended for some patients. In this study, we aimed to identify molecular targets sensitive to TAM using a genome-wide gene deletion library screening of fission yeast heterozygous mutants. From the screening, casein kinase 1 gamma 2 (CSNK1G2), a serine-/threonine protein kinase, was the most sensitive target to TAM with a significant cytotoxicity in estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer cells but with only a slight toxicity in the case of ER- cells. In addition, tumor sphere formation and expression of breast stem cell marker genes such as CD44/CD2 were greatly inhibited by CSNK1G2 knockdown in ER+ breast cancer cells. Consistently, CSNK1G2 altered ERα activity via phosphorylation, specifically at serine (Ser)167, as well as the regulation of estrogen-responsive element (ERE) of estrogen-responsive genes such as CTSD and GREB1. However, ERα silencing almost completely blocked CSNK1G2-induced TAM sensitivity. In ER+ breast cancer cells, combined treatment with TAM and CSNK1G2 knockdown further enhanced the TAM-mediated decrease in phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)/ribosomal protein S6 kinase (S6K) signaling but not extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling. Inversely, in ER- cells treated with TAM, only ERK and PI3K signaling was altered by CSNK1G2 knockdown. The CK1 inhibitor, D4476, partly mimicked the CSNK1G2 knockdown effect in ER+ breast cancer cells, but with a broader repression ranging from PI3K/AKT/mTOR/S6K to ERK signaling. Collectively, these results suggest that CSNK1G2 plays a key role in sensitizing TAM toxicity in ER+ and ER- breast cancer cells via differently regulating PI3K/AKT/mTOR/S6K and ERK signaling.

Gingival Tissue Inflammation Promotes Increased Matrix Metalloproteinase-12 Production by CD200Rlow Monocyte-Derived Cells in Periodontitis.

Irreversible tissue recession in chronic inflammatory diseases is associated with dysregulated immune activation and production of tissue degradative enzymes. In this study, we identified elevated levels of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-12 in gingival tissue of patients with the chronic inflammatory disease periodontitis (PD). The source of MMP12 was cells of monocyte origin as determined by the expression of CD14, CD68, and CD64. These MMP12-producing cells showed reduced surface levels of the coinhibitory molecule CD200R. Similarly, establishing a multicellular three-dimensional model of human oral mucosa with induced inflammation promoted MMP12 production and reduced CD200R surface expression by monocyte-derived cells. MMP12 production by monocyte-derived cells was induced by CSF2 rather than the cyclooxygenase-2 pathway, and treatment of monocyte-derived cells with a CD200R ligand reduced CSF2-induced MMP12 production. Further, MMP12-mediated degradation of the extracellular matrix proteins tropoelastin and fibronectin in the tissue model coincided with a loss of Ki-67, a protein strictly associated with cell proliferation. Reduced amounts of tropoelastin were confirmed in gingival tissue from PD patients. Thus, this novel association of the CD200/CD200R pathway with MMP12 production by monocyte-derived cells may play a key role in PD progression and will be important to take into consideration in the development of future strategies to diagnose, treat, and prevent PD.

Andes Hantavirus-Infection of a 3D Human Lung Tissue Model Reveals a Late Peak in Progeny Virus Production Followed by Increased Levels of Proinflammatory Cytokines and VEGF-A.

Andes virus (ANDV) causes hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), a severe acute disease with a 40% case fatality rate. Humans are infected via inhalation, and the lungs are severely affected during HPS, but little is known regarding the effects of ANDV-infection of the lung. Using a 3-dimensional air-exposed organotypic human lung tissue model, we analyzed progeny virus production and cytokine-responses after ANDV-infection. After a 7-10 day period of low progeny virus production, a sudden peak in progeny virus levels was observed during approximately one week. This peak in ANDV-production coincided in time with activation of innate immune responses, as shown by induction of type I and III interferons and ISG56. After the peak in ANDV production a low, but stable, level of ANDV progeny was observed until 39 days after infection. Compared to uninfected models, ANDV caused long-term elevated levels of eotaxin-1, IL-6, IL-8, IP-10, and VEGF-A that peaked 20-25 days after infection, i.e., after the observed peak in progeny virus production. Notably, eotaxin-1 was only detected in supernatants from infected models. In conclusion, these findings suggest that ANDV replication in lung tissue elicits a late proinflammatory immune response with possible long-term effects on the local lung cytokine milieu. The change from an innate to a proinflammatory response might be important for the transition from initial asymptomatic infection to severe clinical disease, HPS.

Modelling staphylococcal pneumonia in a human 3D lung tissue model system delineates toxin-mediated pathology.

Staphylococcus aureus necrotizing pneumonia is recognized as a toxin-mediated disease, yet the tissue-destructive events remain elusive, partly as a result of lack of mechanistic studies in human lung tissue. In this study, a three-dimensional (3D) tissue model composed of human lung epithelial cells and fibroblasts was used to delineate the role of specific staphylococcal exotoxins in tissue pathology associated with severe pneumonia. To this end, the models were exposed to the mixture of exotoxins produced by S. aureus strains isolated from patients with varying severity of lung infection, namely necrotizing pneumonia or lung empyema, or to purified toxins. The necrotizing pneumonia strains secreted high levels of α-toxin and Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL), and triggered high cytotoxicity, inflammation, necrosis and loss of E-cadherin from the lung epithelium. In contrast, the lung empyema strain produced moderate levels of PVL, but negligible amounts of α-toxin, and triggered limited tissue damage. α-toxin had a direct damaging effect on the epithelium, as verified using toxin-deficient mutants and pure α-toxin. Moreover, PVL contributed to pathology through the lysis of neutrophils. A combination of α-toxin and PVL resulted in the most severe epithelial injury. In addition, toxin-induced release of pro-inflammatory mediators from lung tissue models resulted in enhanced neutrophil migration. Using a collection of 31 strains from patients with staphylococcal pneumonia revealed that strains producing high levels of α-toxin and PVL were cytotoxic and associated with fatal outcome. Also, the strains that produced the highest toxin levels induced significantly greater epithelial disruption. Of importance, toxin-mediated lung epithelium destruction could be inhibited by polyspecific intravenous immunoglobulin containing antibodies against α-toxin and PVL. This study introduces a novel model system for study of staphylococcal pneumonia in a human setting. The results reveal that the combination and levels of α-toxin and PVL correlate with tissue pathology and clinical outcome associated with pneumonia.

Technical advance: live-imaging analysis of human dendritic cell migrating behavior under the influence of immune-stimulating reagents in an organotypic model of lung.

This manuscript describes technical advances allowing manipulation and quantitative analyses of human DC migratory behavior in lung epithelial tissue. DCs are hematopoietic cells essential for the maintenance of tissue homeostasis and the induction of tissue-specific immune responses. Important functions include cytokine production and migration in response to infection for the induction of proper immune responses. To design appropriate strategies to exploit human DC functional properties in lung tissue for the purpose of clinical evaluation, e.g., candidate vaccination and immunotherapy strategies, we have developed a live-imaging assay based on our previously described organotypic model of the human lung. This assay allows provocations and subsequent quantitative investigations of DC functional properties under conditions mimicking morphological and functional features of the in vivo parental tissue. We present protocols to set up and prepare tissue models for 4D (x, y, z, time) fluorescence-imaging analysis that allow spatial and temporal studies of human DCs in live epithelial tissue, followed by flow cytometry analysis of DCs retrieved from digested tissue models. This model system can be useful for elucidating incompletely defined pathways controlling DC functional responses to infection and inflammation in lung epithelial tissue, as well as the efficacy of locally administered candidate interventions.

Progression of clinical tuberculosis is associated with a Th2 immune response signature in combination with elevated levels of SOCS3.

In this study, we explored the local cytokine/chemokine profiles in patients with active pulmonary or pleural tuberculosis (TB) using multiplex protein analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage and pleural fluid samples. Despite increased pro-inflammation compared to the uninfected controls; there was no up-regulation of IFN-γ or the T cell chemoattractant CCL5 in the lung of patients with pulmonary TB. Instead, elevated levels of IL-4 and CCL4 were associated with high mycobacteria-specific IgG titres as well as SOCS3 (suppressors of cytokine signaling) mRNA and progression of moderate-to-severe disease. Contrary, IL-4, CCL4 and SOCS3 remained low in patients with extrapulmonary pleural TB, while IFN-γ, CCL5 and SOCS1 were up-regulated. Both SOCS molecules were induced in human macrophages infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis in vitro. The Th2 immune response signature found in patients with progressive pulmonary TB could result from inappropriate cytokine/chemokine responses and excessive SOCS3 expression that may represent potential targets for clinical TB management.

Modeling Mycobacterium tuberculosis early granuloma formation in experimental human lung tissue.

The widely used animal models for tuberculosis (TB) display fundamental differences from human TB. Therefore, a validated model that recapitulates human lung TB is attractive for TB research. Here, we describe a unique method for establishment of TB infection in an experimental human lung tissue model. The model is based on cell lines derived from human lungs and primary macrophages from peripheral blood, and displays characteristics of human lung tissue, including evenly integrated macrophages throughout the epithelium, production of extracellular matrix, stratified epithelia and mucus secretion. Establishment of experimental infection in the model tissue with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacterium that causes TB, resulted in clustering of macrophages at the site of infection, reminiscent of early TB granuloma formation. We quantitated the extent of granuloma formation induced by different strains of mycobacteria and validated our model against findings in other TB models. We found that early granuloma formation is dependent on ESAT-6, which is secreted via the type VII secretion machinery of virulent mycobacteria. Our model, which can facilitate the discovery of the interactions between mycobacteria and host cells in a physiological environment, is the first lung tissue model described for TB.

Human granulocytic anaplasmosis in eastern France: clinical presentation and laboratory diagnosis.

Human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA) is a tick-borne infection characterised by an acute, nonspecific febrile illness. To date, few clinical cases have been supported by both a positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay and subsequent seroconversion against Anaplasma phagocytophilum antigen all over Europe. We report here 3 consecutive cases of HGA that occurred during the summer of 2009 which fulfilled the epidemiologic, clinical, and biological criteria for HGA. These data highlight PCR assay on ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid blood rather than serology as the diagnostic test of choice during the acute phase of the disease. In endemic areas, HGA should be investigated in patients presenting an undifferentiated febrile illness with cytopenia, elevated rates of liver enzymes, and increased C-reactive protein values.

Dendritic cell functional properties in a three-dimensional tissue model of human lung mucosa.

In lung tissue, dendritic cells (DC) are found in close association with the epithelial cell layer, and there is evidence of DC regulation by the epithelium; that epithelial dysfunction leads to overzealous immune cell activation. However, dissecting basic mechanisms of DC interactions with epithelial cells in human tissue is difficult. Here, we describe a method to generate a three-dimensional organotypic model of the human airway mucosa in which we have implanted human DC. The model recapitulates key anatomical and functional features of lung mucosal tissue, including a stratified epithelial cell layer, deposition of extracellular matrix proteins, and the production of tight junction and adherence junction proteins. Labeling of fixed tissue model sections and imaging of live tissue models also revealed that DC distribute in close association with the epithelial layer. As functional properties of DC may be affected by the local tissue microenvironment, this system provides a tool to study human DC function associated with lung mucosal tissue. As an example, we report that the lung tissue model regulates the capacity of DC to produce the chemokines CCL17, CCL18, and CCL22, leading to enhanced CCL18 expression and reduced CCL17 and CCL22 expression. This novel tissue model thus provides a tool well suited for a wide range of studies, including those on the regulation of DC functional properties within the local tissue microenvironment during homeostasis and inflammatory reactions.

Stromal cell-derived CXCL12 and CCL8 cooperate to support increased development of regulatory dendritic cells following Leishmania infection.

In the immune system, stromal cells provide specialized niches that control hematopoiesis by coordinating the production of chemokines, adhesion molecules, and growth factors. Stromal cells also have anti-inflammatory effects, including support for the differentiation of hematopoietic progenitors into dendritic cells (DCs) with immune regulatory properties. Together, these observations suggest that the alterations in hematopoiesis commonly seen in infectious disease models, such as experimental visceral leishmaniasis in mice, might result from altered stromal cell function. We report in this study that the stromal cell-derived chemokines CXCL12 and CCL8 cooperate to attract hematopoietic progenitors with the potential to differentiate into regulatory DCs. We also show that infection of murine bone marrow stromal cells by Leishmania donovani enhanced their capacity to support the development of regulatory DCs, as well as their capacity to produce CCL8. Likewise, in experimental visceral leishmaniasis, CCL8 production was induced in splenic stromal cells, leading to an enhanced capacity to attract hematopoietic progenitor cells. Thus, intracellular parasitism of stromal cells modifies their capacity to recruit and support hematopoietic progenitor differentiation into regulatory DCs, and aberrant expression of CCL8 by diseased stromal tissue may be involved in the switch from resolving to persistent infection.