Matrix metalloproteinase-19 in capillary endothelial cells: expression in acutely, but not in chronically, inflamed synovium.

Matrix metalloproteinase-19 (MMP-19), originally isolated as an autoantigen from the synovium of a patient suffering from rheumatoid arthritis (RA), is expressed in smooth muscle cells of the tunica media of large blood vessels of an RA patient, but not in the endothelial cell layer. By contrast, in acutely inflamed tissue, synovial capillaries strongly express MMP-19 in the cytoplasm, as shown by immunofluorescence of cryostat sections. In MMP-19-producing capillaries the beta3 integrin chain was found at the endothelial cell surface, as was the vascular endothelial cell growth factor receptor-2 (KDR). The specific tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases TIMP-1 was absent or faintly stained in MMP-19-expressing capillaries, whereas TIMP-1, but not TIMP-2, was strongly expressed in large vessels and in MMP-19-negative capillaries of RA synovia. In the spontaneously transformed human umbilical vein endothelial cell line ECV304 neither MMP-19 transcripts nor protein could be detected. By contrast, primary cultures of human endothelial cells of either dermal or adipose tissue origin produced MMP-19 mRNA and protein. The results strongly suggest the regulated induction of matrix metalloproteinase-19 in capillary endothelial cells during acute inflammation and hint at a role of MMP-19 in angiogenesis.

Human ribosomal protein L7 carries two nucleic acid-binding domains with distinct specificities.

Protein L7 is associated with the large subunit of eukaryotic ribosomes that can act as a co-regulator of nuclear receptor-mediated transcription. In this study we show that L7 carries in addition to the known N-terminal nucleic acid-binding domain (NBD 1) a second one (NBD 2) which maps to the 50 C-terminal amino acids of the protein. The amino acid sequence of this region does not contain any of the known nucleic acid binding motifs; thus, NBD 2 may represent a new class of nucleic acid-binding protein motifs. NBD 2 is conserved in all known eukaryotic L7 homologs, whereas NBD 1 is only present in mammalian L7. Binding studies show that NBD 2 is functionally different from NBD 1 in that it binds preferentially to 28S rRNA, suggesting that NBD 2 is involved in the attachment of protein L7 to the large ribosomal subunit. Potential functions of NBD 1 and NBD 2 in translational and nuclear receptor-mediated transcriptional control are discussed.

Autoreactive human T cell lines recognizing ribosomal protein L7.

Sera of patients suffering from systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) frequently contain oligoclonal IgG autoantibodies with high affinity for the ribosomal protein L7 (rpL7). The humoral autoimmune response to rpL7 apparently is driven by antigen and T cell dependent. In order to analyze the T cell response to rpL7 we cultured peripheral blood lymphocytes of healthy individuals and SLE patients in the presence of recombinant rpL7. After 10 days, the cytokine response to re-stimulation with rpL7 was examined using a spot-ELISA. Measuring IFN-gamma secretion, the T cells of two patients and four healthy donors showed a significant increase in the number of spots as compared to control cells. Secretion of IL-4 or IL-10 was not detected. From the antigen-stimulated primary cultures we established by limiting dilution cloning six rpL7-reactive, IFN-gamma-secreting T cell lines which show a CD3+CD4+CD8- phenotype. One line additionally was shown to be positive for HLA-DR and CD45R0, but negative for CD27 and CD31. The cell lines carry alphabeta TCR chains which differ from each other in sequence and specificity. rpL7 fragments rich in basic amino acids could be identified as epitopes recognized by the TCR of three cell lines. Recognition of rpL7 is HLA-DR6 restricted or respectively HLA-DP restricted in the two cell lines analyzed.

Correlation between chlamydial infection and autoimmune response: molecular mimicry between RNA polymerase major sigma subunit from Chlamydia trachomatis and human L7.

L7 is one of the ribosomal proteins frequently targeted by autoantibodies in rheumatic autoimmune diseases. A computer search revealed a region within the immunodominant epitope of L7 (peptide II) that is highly homologous to amino acid sequence 264-286 of the RNA polymerase major sigma factor of the eubacterium Chlamydia trachomatis. Anti-L7 autoantibodies affinity purified from the immunodominant epitope were able to recognize this sequence as they reacted with purified recombinant sigma factor. Immunofluorescence labeling experiments on C. trachomatis lysates revealed a punctate staining pattern of numerous spots when incubated with the affinity-purified anti-peptide II autoantibodies. Binding of autoantibodies to peptide II was inhibited by the homologous sigma peptide. This is the first demonstration of epitope mimicry between a human and a chlamydial protein on the level of B cells. Antibody screening revealed a significant correlation between the presence of anti-L7 autoantibodies and C. trachomatis infection in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and mixed connective tissue disease. Our results suggest that molecular mimicry is involved in the initiation of anti-L7 autoantibody response and may represent a first glance into the immunopathology of Chlamydia with respect to systemic rheumatic diseases.

Differential expression of a conserved new mRNA in lymphoid cells.

We describe a polyadenylated RNA (Drld = Differentially regulated in lymphoid organs and differentiation) from murine lymphocytes. Two homologous molecular forms of this RNA of approximately 500 and 900 bases are detected in various tissues and lymphoid cell lines. Southern blotting showed that up to ten highly homologous loci exist which in part are polymorphic between the different mouse strains analyzed. Cross-hybridizing loci can be detected in distantly related species such as horse, fish and Drosophila melanogaster. Sequence analysis revealed homologies to the untranslated region of the GPI-linked murine B7(2) antigen, the B2 repetitive elements and 3 untranslated genes. Drld apparently defines a new family of genetic elements.

Structure and expression of a non-polyadenylated ribosome bound transcript carrying the sequence of human ribosomal protein L7 mRNA in antisense orientation.

Human ribosomal protein L7 has been shown to be involved in the control of translation of distinct mRNAs. In this study we report the existence of an RNA carrying sequences that are complementary (antisense) to the entire coding (sense) region of L7 mRNA. L7 antisense transcripts are not polyadenylated and associate with the large subunit of the ribosome. The antisense sequence is encoded by an intronless gene segment distinct from the active copy of the L7 gene. Upon mitogenic stimulation of lymphocytes and monocytes from mice and humans, complex expression patterns of L7 transcripts are observed.

Matrix metalloproteinase MMP-19 (RASI-1) is expressed on the surface of activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells and is detected as an autoantigen in rheumatoid arthritis.

In order to characterize the autoimmune response participating in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) a cDNA expression library constructed from mRNAs which had been isolated from the inflamed synovium of an RA patients was screened with autologous IgG autoantibodies. This led to the identification of gene rasi-1 which encodes a protein showing sequence identity with the zinc-binding matrix metalloproteinase MMP-19. MMP-19 is detected on the surface of activated PBMCs, TH1 lymphocytes, and Jurkat T lymphoma cells. It exhibits gelatinolytic activity and is recognized by autoantibodies in 26% and, respectively, 33% of sera collected from RA patients and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. The novel autoantigen MMP-19 thus could play a role in the pathological processes participating in RA-associated joint tissue destruction.

Specific interactions of the autoantigen L7 with multi-zinc finger protein ZNF7 and ribosomal protein S7.

The eucaryotic protein L7, which associates with the large subunit of ribosomes, has been shown to be a major autoantigen in systemic autoimmune arthritis. The N terminus carries a sequence motif that is similar to the leucine zipper domain of eucaryotic transcription factors. This domain promotes the homodimerization of protein L7 through alpha-helical coiled-coil formation and binds to distinct mRNAs, thereby inhibiting their cell-free translation. Using a yeast two-hybrid selection, we have identified from a Jurkat T lymphoma cDNA library ribosomal protein S7 and the multi-zinc finger protein ZNF7 as proteins that interact with protein L7. A fragment of L7 carrying the leucine zipper-like domain is fully sufficient to mediate these interactions. Their potential biological significance is indicated by low apparent dissociation constants of S7-L7 (15 x 10(-9) M) and, respectively, ZNF7-L7 (2 x 10(-9) M) complexes and co-immunoprecipitation of proteins S7, ZNF7, and L7 from a cell lysate with an anti-L7 antibody. We also show that ZNF7-like L7 and S7 can exist in a ribosome-bound form. This study provides further evidence suggesting that L7 is involved in translational regulation through interactions with components of the translational apparatus.

The matrix metalloproteinase RASI-1 is expressed in synovial blood vessels of a rheumatoid arthritis patient.

RASI-1 is a novel matrix metalloproteinase which we isolated from an expression cDNA library representing the mRNA of an inflamed synovium obtained from a patient with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). To investigate the involvement of RASI-1 in the pathology of RA, we examined synovial specimens from RA patients with antibodies directed against an unique RASI-1-derived peptide. In comparison to interstitial collagenase, gelatinase A and B, and stromelysin 1, the RASI-1 expression in the RA-synovium is located mainly in the tunica media of blood vessel walls and its synovial localization is not as ubiquitous as that of other MMPs. The tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMP-1), although also widely expressed in the synovium, exhibits strong colocalization with RASI-1 in blood vessel walls. While RASI-1 is expressed in blood vessels of the inflamed synovium of an RA patient, its expression was not found in control synovial specimens from patients with luxation and arthrosis. However, RASI-1 expression can also be found in non-inflamed blood vessels of uterine ligaments and skin. RASI-1, although its function and substrates are unknown, could be involved in processes such as neovascularization and angiogenesis or lymphocyte extravasation and thus may participate in joint tissue destruction during RA.

Human ribosomal protein L7 binds RNA with an alpha-helical arginine-rich and lysine-rich domain.

In this study we mapped the RNA-binding domain of human ribosomal protein L7 and characterized its conformation-dependent RNA-binding specificity. Binding competition assays demonstrated preferential binding of L7 to mRNAs and rRNA, but not to tRNA. The ribohomopolymer poly(G) is bound with high affinity whereas poly(U), poly(C), or poly(A) show low affinity to L7. Furthermore, L7 binds to double-stranded but not to single-stranded DNA. Deletion mapping showed that the RNA-binding domain of L7 is represented by an arginine-rich and lysine-rich oligopeptide (ELKIKRLRKKFAQKMLRKARRK), which is reminiscent of the arginine-rich motif (ARM) found in one family of RNA-binding proteins. The isolated RNA-binding domain is capable of high-affinity binding to the Rev-responsive element (RRE) of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 in vitro. Circular dichroic studies demonstrated a concentration-dependent and ligand-induced alpha-helical transition of a synthetic peptide carrying the arginine-lysine-rich RNA-binding domain of protein L7. Peptides carrying a mutation that destroys the alpha-helical conformation do not bind RNA.

Characteristic epitope recognition pattern of autoantibodies against eukaryotic ribosomal protein L7 in systemic autoimmune diseases.

OBJECTIVE: To define the epitope-recognition pattern and the fine specificity of the autoantibody response to protein L7 in patients with rheumatic diseases. METHODS: The epitope-recognition pattern was studied by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay utilizing overlapping fragments of L7. The fine specificity was examined by binding inhibition and isoelectric focusing. RESULTS: We observed a disease-specific epitope-recognition pattern of anti-L7 autoantibodies. There was one immunodominant epitope that was recognized by all anti-L7-positive sera from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and systemic sclerosis (SSc). Additional recognition of minor epitopes was observed; it arises by intramolecular epitope spreading and was correlated with disease activity in SLE patients. SSc patients differed from SLE and RA patients in that their sera did not recognize certain minor epitopes. The major epitope was recognized by high-affinity autoantibodies of limited heterogeneity. Minor epitopes were recognized by heterogeneous low-affinity autoantibodies. CONCLUSION: The anti-L7 autoantibody response is oligoclonal. Additional B cell clones are activated by antigen during active phases of disease.

Constitutive expression of human ribosomal protein L7 arrests the cell cycle in G1 and induces apoptosis in Jurkat T-lymphoma cells.

Protein L7 is involved in translational control in eucaryotic cells as indicated by its association with ribosomes, its capability to inhibit specifically the cell-free translation of distinct mRNAs, and its interference with the synthesis of two major nucleus-associated proteins in L7 cDNA-transfected Jurkat T-lymphoma cells [F. Neumann et al. (1995) Nucleic Acids Res. 23, 195]. In this report we show that the constitutive expression of protein L7 in Jurkat cells leads to an arrest in G1 of the cell cycle and induces apoptosis as a consequence of cell-to-cell contact. Treatment of the L7 transfectants with the inhibitor of translation cycloheximide, at doses which do not affect untransfected cells, enhances their sensitivity to the induction of apoptosis. These results suggest that L7 can interfere with the translation of proteins which control cell cycle progression and/or the initiation of the apoptotic pathways.

Mass spectrometric identification of leucine zipper-like homodimer complexes of the autoantigen L7.

The eucaryotic protein L7 has been shown to associate in the cytoplasm with the large subunit of ribosomes and to interact specifically with as yet unknown cognate sites of mRNA, thereby inhibiting cell-free translation (Neumann, F., Hemmerich, P., von Mikecz, A., Peter, H. H., and Krawinkel, U.(1995) Nucleic Acids Res. 23, 195-202). The N-terminal region of protein L7 contains a sequence motif similar to the leucine zipper domain of eucaryotic transcription factors, which promotes dimerization through alpha-helical coiled coil formation. Using electrospray-ionization mass spectrometry as a method of molecular specificity, we have directly identified the dimeric complexes comprising the leucine zipper-like region of protein L7 and have determined the dissociation constant of L7 homodimers in an affinity binding assay. We also demonstrate the high content of alpha-helicity of the dimer by circular dichroism spectra and computer-based structure simulation and show that the leucine zipper region of protein L7 is fully sufficient to mediate the inhibition of cell-free mRNA translation. A structural basis for the function of L7 to regulate translation is discussed. From the present results we conclude that L7 interacts with double stranded mRNA in a similar fashion as leucine zipper proteins with specific cognate sites on double stranded DNA.

T cell lines recognizing the 70-kD protein of U1 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (U1snRNP).

In sera of patients with mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) high titres of IgG autoantibodies to U1snRNP-specific proteins (70 kD, A, C) are found, suggesting an antigen-driven and T-cell-dependent process. In order to establish U1snRNP-specific T cell lines we cultured under various culture conditions mononuclear cells from MCTD patients and healthy donors with a highly purified UsnRNP preparation from HeLa cells. Nine T cell lines were established by limiting dilution cloning from two MCTD patients and five T cell lines from a healthy individual. All T cell lines expressed the TCR alpha beta/CD3 complex. Surprisingly, most of the T cells lines exhibited the CD8 phenotype. Irrespective of this phenotype, all T cell lines showed a proliferative response to an N-terminal part (aa 51-195) of recombinant U1-specific 70-kD protein. One CD8+ T cell clone exhibited cytotoxic activity against an autologous B cell line pulsed with snRNP or recombinant fragments (aa 51-95 and aa 51-88). Interestingly, two T cell lines proliferated in response to four recombinant polypeptides representing different parts of the U1snRNP 70-kD protein. Since regions of sequence homology are distributed over the 70-kD molecule, it is suggested that conserved motifs may be recognized by the T cell lines.

Autoantibodies against eukaryotic protein L7 in patients suffering from systemic lupus erythematosus and progressive systemic sclerosis: frequency and correlation with clinical, serological and genetic parameters. The SLE Study Group.

Recent studies have shown that sera of patients suffering from systemic autoimmune diseases contain autoantibodies directed against the eukaryotic ribosomal protein L7 [1]. In the present study we screened a large panel of sera from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) for the presence of anti-L7 autoantibodies and their relationship to clinical, serological and genetic parameters of SLE. By means of an ELISA employing recombinant protein L7 as antigen we detected anti-L7 autoantobodies in 172 of 506 SLE sera (34%). Negative correlations were observed between the presence of anti-L7 autoantibodies, serum IgG levels and proteinuria; a potentially positive relationship existed with lung fibrosis. In order to analyse further this possibility we screened sera of 129 patients suffering from progressive systemic sclerosis (PSS) for anti-L7 reactivity; 45 of these patients had lung fibrosis. Of the PSS patients, 41% exhibited anti-L7 autoantibodies, but positive reactions were evenly distributed among patients with and without lung fibrosis. Protein L7 thus represents a major autoantigen of systemic autoimmune diseases, but does not so far define a distinct subpopulation of patients.

Autoantigenic epitopes on eukaryotic L7.

Ribosomal protein L7 has been established recently as a novel autoantigen representing a frequent target for autoantibodies from patients with systemic autoimmune diseases. Up to 75% of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients and 50% of mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) and progressive systemic sclerosis (PSS) patients produce antibodies in vitro translated L7 and form immunoprecipitable complexes. In this study the B cell response to protein L7 was investigated with respect to the immunogenic determinants recognized by autoantibodies. Eighteen truncated fragments of protein L7 were generated as recombinant fusions with glutathione-S-transferase and examined by immunoblotting for their reactivity with sera from patients suffering from systemic rheumatic diseases. Anti-L7 antibodies target three major nonoverlapping autoepitopes. Two epitopes reside in the highly conserved C-terminal part of the protein, whereas the N-terminal autoepitope is not conserved during evolution. The N-terminal epitope comprises 24 amino acid residues. Ten amino acid resides of this epitope are shared with the BZIP-like RNA binding domain of protein L7. Autoantibodies recognizing this epitope crossreact with the corresponding region of a L7 homologue, namely ribosomal protein L7 (RPL7) from Dictyostelium discoideum. This indicates that amino acid residues 14VPE...KKR22, which are conserved between humans and fungi, contribute essentially to the formation of autoantibody-autoantigen complexes.

Human ribosomal protein L7 inhibits cell-free translation in reticulocyte lysates and affects the expression of nuclear proteins upon stable transfection into Jurkat T-lymphoma cells.

Eucaryotic ribosomal protein L7 carries a 'Basic-Region-Leucine-Zipper (BZIP)'-like region which mediates high-affinity binding to mRNA and 28S rRNA and formation of homodimers [P. Hemmerich et al. (1993) Nucleic Acids Res. 21, 223-231). Its biological function is unknown as yet and no direct L7-equivalent in procaryotes has been found. In this report we show that eucaryotic L7 specifically inhibits the cell-free translation of reporter mRNAs. The interaction of L7 with mRNA is an essential step in this reaction which is inhibitable by antibodies directed against the BZIP-like region of L7, and by competitors of mRNA binding. L7-mediated inhibition of cell-free translation of polyA+ RNA from Jurkat T-lymphoma cells is selective in that the synthesis of a major 46 kD protein is suppressed. Upon stable transfection of L7 cDNA into Jurkat lymphoma cells two major proteins disappear, namely one nuclear protein and one which associates with the nucleus. Our data suggest a regulatory role of protein L7 in the eucaryotic translation apparatus.

Oligoclonality and skewed T cell receptor V beta gene segment expression in in vivo activated human intestinal intraepithelial T lymphocytes.

Intraepithelial intestinal T lymphocytes (IEL) bearing alpha beta or gamma delta T cell receptors (TCR) are positioned to serve as a first line of defense against enteric pathogens. To investigate whether intestinal IEL are subject to antigenic selective forces distinct from that influencing (xp T cells in the peripheral blood (PBL), we performed a comparative analysis of V beta gene segment usage in IEL and PBL of immunologically normal donors by quantitative PCR. Primers for 22 different human TCR V beta gene segments of V beta gene segments families were used to analyze the repertoire of TCR beta chain transcripts in colonic IEL (c-IEL), in corresponding colonic lamina propria lymphocytes (c-LPL), and in peripheral blood lymphocytes. In each of the three individuals examined, a limited number (1-4 out of 22) of TCR V beta families predominated and accounted for more than 50% of the total beta chain transcripts from c-IEL, whereas in PBL and c-LPL a more even distribution of V beta gene families was observed. The dominating V beta gene families were V beta 2, V beta 3, V beta 6, V beta 8 and V beta 14. In one individual, V beta 3 comprised more than 40% of the entire repertoire of c-IEL beta chain transcripts. Sequence analysis of the predominant V beta 3 family in this individual revealed identical sequences in 13 of 17 clones analyzed. Human alpha beta TCR+ c-IEL could not be driven to proliferate or exhibit cytotoxic function in vitro however, PCR analysis for detection of lymphokine mRNA revealed constitutive production of several lymphokines known to exert trophic effects on intestinal epithelial cells and pro-inflammatory activities. Taken together, the striking degree of oligoclonality may indicate that the intraepithelial intestinal immune system is targeted to a limited set of hitherto unknown self- or foreign antigens present in the intestine and orchestrates intramucosal inflammatory and regenerative processes.

Characterization of eukaryotic protein L7 as a novel autoantigen which frequently elicits an immune response in patients suffering from systemic autoimmune disease.

Autoantibodies targeted against cellular proteins and nucleic acids are a common feature of autoimmune diseases. In this study, we show that ribosomal protein L7 is a novel autoantigen in patients suffering from systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and other connective tissue diseases. From 24 patients diagnosed as having SLE, 18 produce antibodies which precipitate in vitro translated L7 protein. The anti-L7 titer appears to correlate with the active state of the disease. Anti-L7 autoantibodies were also detected in 7 of 13 patients with mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD), 2 of 7 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), 1 of 4 patients with Sjögren's syndrome (SS) and in 1 patient with progressive systemic sclerosis (PSS). Anti-L7 autoantibodies belong to the IgG-class and detect specifically at least two epitopes on the L7 molecule, as shown by immunoprecipitation and immunoblotting. The epitope(s) of the highly conserved C-terminal region are preferentially recognized. Utilizing rabbit anti-L7 serum, autoimmune sera and affinity-purified anti-L7 autoantibodies in immunoblotting, and rabbit and chicken anti-L7 antibodies in indirect immunofluorescence, we detect L7 protein in the nuclei and in the cytoplasm of various cell-lines. Yet unlike most integral structural components of ribosomes, L7 is absent from nucleoli.