Amplitude-encoded calcium oscillations in fish cells.

The reaction of intracellular Ca(2+) to different agonist stimuli in primary hepatocytes from rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) as well as the permanent fish cell line RTL-W1 was investigated systematically. In addition to "classical" agonists such as phenylephrine and ATP, model environmental toxicants like 4-nitrophenol and 3,4-dichloroaniline were used to elucidate possible interactions between toxic effects and Ca(2+) signaling. We report Ca(2+) oscillations in response to several stimuli in RTL-W1 cells and to a lesser extent in primary hepatocytes. Moreover, these Ca(2+) oscillations are amplitude-encoded in contrast to their mammalian counterpart. Bioinformatics and computational analysis were employed to identify key players of Ca(2+) signaling in fish and to determine likely causes for the experimentally observed differences between the Ca(2+) dynamics in fish cells compared to those in mammalian liver cells.

Visualisation of biochemical network simulations with SimWiz.

SimWiz is a Java package that aims at visualising data resulting from different kinds of biochemical systems simulations in a clear and easy-to-survey way. In addition, information regarding the topology of the biochemical network is preserved by this visualisation. This is achieved by animating a graphical representation of the respective biochemical network.

The systems biology markup language (SBML): a medium for representation and exchange of biochemical network models.

MOTIVATION: Molecular biotechnology now makes it possible to build elaborate systems models, but the systems biology community needs information standards if models are to be shared, evaluated and developed cooperatively. RESULTS: We summarize the Systems Biology Markup Language (SBML) Level 1, a free, open, XML-based format for representing biochemical reaction networks. SBML is a software-independent language for describing models common to research in many areas of computational biology, including cell signaling pathways, metabolic pathways, gene regulation, and others. AVAILABILITY: The specification of SBML Level 1 is freely available from http://www.sbml.org/

Mitochondria regulate the amplitude of simple and complex calcium oscillations.

In a mathematical model for simple calcium oscillations [Biophys. Chem. 71 (1998) 125], it has been shown that mitochondria play an important role in the maintenance of constant amplitudes of cytosolic Ca(2+) oscillations. Simple plausible rate laws for Ca(2+) fluxes across the inner mitochondrial membrane have been used in this model. Here we show that it is possible to use the same rate laws as a plug-in element in other existing mathematical models and obtain the same effect on amplitude regulation. This result appears to be universal, independent of the type of model and the type of Ca(2+) oscillations. We demonstrate this on two models for spiking Ca(2+) oscillations [J. Biol. Chem. 266 (1991) 11068; Cell Calcium 14 (1993) 311] and on two recent models for bursting Ca(2+) oscillations; one of them being a receptor-operated model [Biophys. J. 79 (2000) 1188] and the other one being a store-operated model [BioSystems 57 (2000) 75].

Increased in vivo mitogenicity of anti-TCR/CD3 monoclonal antibody through reduced interaction with Fcgamma receptors.

Since its initial clinical use in 1980, anti-TCR/CD3 monoclonal antibody (mAb) has been shown to be a potent immunosuppressive agent in the prevention of renal allograft rejections. However, toxic side effects caused by release of cytokines, predominantly from activated CD4+ T-cells, remain a major problem with the use of these reagents. Previous work has shown that this activation is mediated via antibody binding to Fcgamma receptors (FcgammaR) on host effector cells. In the present study, we have demonstrated in an in vivo mouse model that the anti-TCR/CD3 mouse mAb 7D6, as well as that from rat (17A2) and hamster (H57-597), induce a gradual depletion of host CD4+ T-cells without any apparent proliferative effects on the cells. In contrast, when treatment with these mAbs was combined with a mAb (2.4G2) that blocks the low-affinity Fcgamma receptors (FcgammaRII/III), we found that the in vivo actions of the anti-TCR/CD3 mAbs resulted in a significant expansion, rather than depletion, of CD4+ cells. The ability of 2.4G2 to reduce mAb 7D6-FcgammaR interaction was directly demonstrated in an in vitro assay system in which 2.4G2 partially suppressed 7D6-mediated T-cell responses. Taken together, our results have shown that some so-called "nonmitogenic" anti-TCR/CD3 mAbs in fact possess potent activating properties and that their mitogenic potential can be exposed by reducing their interaction with FcgammaR on host effector cells.

Oscillatory dynamics protect enzymes and possibly cells against toxic substances.

We have used the oscillating peroxidase-oxidase (PO) reaction as a model system to study how oscillatory dynamics may affect the influence of toxic reaction intermediates on enzyme stability. In the peroxidase-oxidase reaction reactive intermediates, such as hydrogen peroxide, superoxide, and hydroxyl radical are formed. Such intermediates inactivate many cellular macromolecules such as proteins and nucleic acids. These reaction intermediates also react with peroxidase itself to form an inactive enzyme. The fact that the PO reaction shows bistability between an oscillatory and a steady state gives us a unique possibility to compare such inactivation when the system is in one of these two states. We show that inactivation of peroxidase is slower when the system is in an oscillatory state, and using numerical simulations we provide evidence that oscillatory dynamics lower the average concentration of the reactive intermediates.

Switching from simple to complex oscillations in calcium signaling.

We present a new model for calcium oscillations based on experiments in hepatocytes. The model considers feedback inhibition on the initial agonist receptor complex by calcium and activated phospholipase C, as well as receptor type-dependent self-enhanced behavior of the activated G(alpha) subunit. It is able to show simple periodic oscillations and periodic bursting, and it is the first model to display chaotic bursting in response to agonist stimulations. Moreover, our model offers a possible explanation for the differences in dynamic behavior observed in response to different agonists in hepatocytes.

Retinoid regulation of interleukin-2 receptors on human T-cells.

The ability of retinoids to regulate interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2R) levels on human T-cells may play a fundamental role in the immunomodulating effects of these compounds. As a cell line model for studying this phenomenon, we tested the effects of retinoic acid (RA) on the expression of IL-2Ralpha and IL-2Rbeta in Hut78 cells, a mature T-cell line derived from a Sezary T-cell leukemia. Our results demonstrated 4- to 20-fold increases in the surface expression and mRNA levels of both of these receptor components at RA concentrations starting at 10(-10) M with maximal induction at 1 microM RA. RA-induced upregulation of IL-2Rbeta was found to be transcriptionally mediated in a protein-synthesis-independent fashion; however, activation of the IL-2Rbeta promoter could not be demonstrated in transient transfection experiments utilizing reporter gene constructs containing all currently known regulatory elements of the IL-2Rbeta promoter. Enhancement of IL-2Ralpha/beta by RA was accompanied by upregulation of the expression of CD38, CD69, CD45RO, and HLA-DR, surface molecules known to be associated with T-cell activation. Parallel effects were induced by RA on T-blasts generated from primary human lymphocytes suggesting the physiologic relevance of the Hut78 cell line model. Taken together, our findings demonstrate the ability of RA to upregulate IL-2R expression and enhance the activation state of Hut78 cells. The dramatic enhancing ability of RA on IL-2Rbeta expression does not appear to be mediated through interaction with currently defined regions of the IL-2Rbeta promoter.

Oscillations in the peroxidase-oxidase reaction: a comparison of different peroxidases.

The nonlinear behavior of the peroxidase-oxidase reaction was studied using structurally different peroxidases. For the first time sustained oscillations with peroxidases other than horseradish peroxidase in a single-enzyme system were observed. All peroxidases that showed significant oxidase activity were able to generate sustained oscillations. When adjusting the overall reaction rate, either of the two modifiers 2,4-dichlorophenol or Methylene blue could be omitted from the reaction. Due to the observation of different enzyme intermediates when using different peroxidases, we conclude that the mechanisms responsible for oscillatory kinetics may vary from one peroxidase to the other.

Mitogenicity of anti-Thy-1 monoclonal antibodies attributable to an Fc-dependent mechanism.

We analyzed the mechanism by which certain anti-Thy-1 monoclonal antibodies (mAb) activate T cells directly without additional stimuli. Using a panel of rat anti-Thy-1 antibodies which included more than 30 IgG2c mAb, we found that only the IgG2c isotype was able to induce a strong proliferative response in both resting T cells and a T cell lymphoma, suggesting that this form of T cell activation is isotype restricted and might be a consequence of a unique physico-chemical property of the IgG2c heavy chain. Results from surface distribution studies of Thy-1 molecules, following specific interactions with anti-Thy-1 antibodies of different isotypes, again showed that only IgG2c mAb formed Thy-1 aggregates of high valence on the surface of a T cell lymphoma, and such clustering always evoked a biological response. This led us to propose that IgG2c mAb have the inherent tendency to self-associate, probably through homophilic Fc-Fc contacts, and that this feature renders anti-Thy-1 mAb mitogenic. To prove this, we set up cross-inhibition studies with randomly selected mitogenic (IgG2c) and nonmitogenic (IgG2b) anti-Thy-1 mAb. The results clearly demonstrated that IgG2c antibodies enhance their own binding, analogous to the new form of antibody binding that was recently demonstrated between murine IgG3 mAb and a multivalent antigen. Confirmation of this was also provided by IgG2c-derived F(ab')2 fragments, which were unable to cause proliferation. Furthermore, masking the Fc part of cell-bound IgG2c mAb with a monomeric and thus non-aggregating IgG-binding protein A-derived fragment cancelled their mitogenic ability. Finally, induction of T cell proliferation appeared to be independent of cross-linking via Fc gamma R. The results support a model in which noncovalent intermolecular homophilic contacts of the Fc regions of the IgG2c isotype bring about effective aggregation of Thy-1 molecules, thereby stimulating the mitotic apparatus of the cell.

Antilymphocytic antibodies and marrow transplantation. XIV. Antibody-induced suppression of graft-versus-host disease in C3-decomplemented mice differentiates two T-cell-depletion pathways.

Remarkable differences in the suppression of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) have been found for anti-Thy-1 antibodies to relate to (1) antigen density and antibody coating on the target cells, (2) antibody isotype, and (3) uptake of complement subcomponent C1q. Regarding (2) and (3) we now demonstrate that depletion of the third complement component C3 by cobra venom factor (CVF) differentiates two T-cell elimination pathways in mice: four rat IgG2c anti-Thy-1 monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) with low uptake of mouse C1q lost most of their T-cell-depleting and consequently GVHD-preventing effect in C3-depleted H2 IA incompatible semiallogeneic (C57BL/6xCBA)F1 mice. In contrast, eight rat IgG2b, mouse IgG2a, and 2b anti-Thy-1 MoAbs with high affinity for C1q still remained strongly T-cell-depleting and prevented GVHD even in fully mismatched CBA mice depleted of C3. In conjunction with our observation that anti-Thy-1 MoAbs also suppress GVHD in C5-deficient AKR mice, we conclude that complete complement activation until T-cell lysis is not required for our antibodies to be effective in vivo. Activation, but only until deposition of C3b on target-cells for opsonisation via C3b receptors, is necessary with the less immunosuppressive anti-Thy-1 IgG2c isotype with low affinity for C1q. Mouse C1q uptake and C3/C4 deposition on target cells were measured with labeled antibodies and localized in T-cell areas. Interestingly, not even activation until C3b is necessary with the most immunosuppressive C1q-high-affine isotypes. As far as the latter is concerned, we discuss whether elimination of antibody-coated cells via Fc receptors is enhanced by binding to C1q-receptors and/or by intercalating C1q expressed on macrophages.

Antilymphocytic antibodies and bone marrow transplantation. XI. Evidence that reduced Thy-1 expression in Thy-1.1 mice prevents suppression of graft-versus-host disease with anti-Thy-1 monoclonal antibodies.

Considerable variations in the suppression of graft-versus-host disease with monoclonal anti-Thy-1 antibodies were found to relate to substantial differences noted in the expression of mouse Thy-1 marker on lymph node and spleen cells of Thy-1.1 (AKR/J, C57BL/6.Thy-1.1) and Thy 1.2 (AKR/Cu, C57BL/6) mice. Thy-1.1 mice showed a population of 22% (AKR/J) or 13% (C57BL/6-Thy-1.1) of Thy-1 negative cells among peripheral T cells carrying Ly-1 marker. This was in sharp contrast with Thy-1.2 mice, where as expected practically all peripheral T cells expressed both Thy-1 and Ly-1. Double-marker analysis on FACScan revealed that the Thy-1-/Ly-1+ cell population identified in Thy-1.1 but not in Thy-1.2 mice doubtless represents T cells because they express CD3 and either the L3T4 (CD4) or Lyt2 (CD8) phenotype. Using quantitative fluorescence-measurement techniques, it was found in addition that the Thy-1 antigen-binding sites on Thy-1+ cells from Thy-1.1 mice are considerably fewer than those present in Thy-1.2 mice. In fact, the Thy-1 antigen-binding sites approximate the level of Ly-1 density. Consequences of the reduced expression of Thy-1 became apparent in vivo: (1) lymphnode and splenic T cell areas in Thy-1.1 mice were clearly less depleted when Thy-1.1 and Thy-1.2 mice had been injected with rat IgG2b anti-Thy-1 mAb; and (2) GvHD was prevented completely in fully mismatched mice by anti-Thy-1 mAb if the donor mice expressed Thy-1.2 but was barely delayed if the donors expressed Thy-1.1. Thus the present study provides a transplantation model for comparing differences in T antigen density and their consequences for antibody-induced immunosuppression.

Antigen density on target cells determines the immunosuppressive potential of rat IgG2b monoclonal antibodies.

The current studies were designed to determine the relevance of T cell antigen density, besides antibody isotype, with regard to the success of antibody serotherapy. We compared the immunosuppressive effects of two rat IgG2b monoclonal anti-Thy-1 antibodies, RmT1 and 30-H12, with distinct binding sites in a graft-vs.-host disease (GVHD) model of fully H-2 and I-A region-mismatched bone marrow transplantation, making use of the difference in Thy-1.2 antigen density between homozygous (BALB/c) and heterozygous (BALB/c X AKR/J)F1 GVHD-promoting donor cells. Antibodies RmT1 (directed against a monomorphic determinant on mouse Thy-1) and 30-H12 (reactive with the Thy-1.2 allele-specific determinant) did not differ in their anti-GVHD activity with regard to Thy-1.2 homozygous grafts. However, in the region of a critical number of binding sites a small difference in the amounts of the two antibodies bound (about 8 X 10(3) IgG molecules/cell) obviously accounts for a great difference in anti-GVHD activity. This is shown in a two haplotype host-graft disparity between C57BL/6 recipients treated with either RmT1 or 30-H12 before challenging them with (BALB/c X AKR/J)F1 grafts, where the Thy-1.2 antigen concentration is approximately 50% compared to the density on BALB/c lymphocytes. Here, mAb 30-H12 loses its remarkable in vivo immunosuppressive quality, whereas RmT1 treatment protects mice against lethal GVHD. Binding sites were quantitated using a computerized approach for the analysis of data from ligand binding experiments of the respective mAb, RmT1 and 30-H12, coated to LN cells of BALB/c and F1 hybrid origin. Furthermore, the in vivo immunosuppressive activity of rat IgG2b antibodies directed against Thy-1 was found to correlate with their ability to generate stable antibody-C1q complexes on the cell surface of immunocompetent T cells.

Monoclonal antibodies to complement components without the need of their prior purification. I. Antibodies to mouse C1q.

Rat monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) reactive with mouse complement subcomponent C1q were raised applying a principle that requires minute amounts of serum and circumvents purification of serum-derived C1q. The principle involves a) using the high affinity of certain cell-bound antibody isotypes for intercalating C1q from serum of various species, b) selecting such antibodies as are syngeneic to the immunized animal species, thus avoiding the production of antibodies against the intercalating antibodies and c) screening for the anti-C1q MAb in microtiter plates coated with C1q-intercalating MAb isotypes that are heterogeneic to the immunized animal species. We could establish 3 MAbs of IgM subclass, whose reactivity to mouse C1q was shown by ELISA techniques. One of them (RmC13C9) crossreacted with human C1q and was shown by SDS-PAGE and subsequent immunoblotting to recognize the C-chain of mouse and human C1q. The other two MAbs are directed against SDS-sensitive epitopes on mouse C1q and were, therefore, further characterized by native agarose gel electrophoresis and immunohistochemical studies.

Neutralization of immunosuppression by antibodies against variable as well as constant regions of monoclonal anti-Thy-1 xenoantibodies and their ability to be suppressed by initial T cell depletion.

Timing, magnitude, and effect of the murine antibody response to rat pan-T-cell antibodies were studied in a bone marrow (C57BL/6-to-CBA mice) transplantation model. Prospective C57BL/6 marrow donor mice were sensitized against pan-T-cell (Thy-1, Thy-1.2, Lyt-1) monoclonal antibodies of various rat isotypes or against polyclonal rat antimouse-thymocytes (rat ATG) antibodies. Three days prior to transfer of spleen and bone marrow cells, the sensitized C57BL/6 donors received a dose of anti-Thy-1 mAb (RmT1) known to abolish graft-versus-host reactivity of unsensitized donors. The injected mAb provoked anti-antibodies reacting with RmT1. The anti-antibodies inhibited immunosuppression of the rat mAb RmT1 even if they bound only to nonidiotypic epitopes on RmT1. Avoiding cell-binding of the sensitizing rat anti-Thy-1.2 mAb by its injection into Thy-1.1 mice induced only low-titer and delayed anti-antibodies. This indicated the enhanced immunization potential of anti-Thy-1 when bound to cells. Finally, sensitization leading to the mouse antirat anti-antibodies and reversion of immunosuppression was prevented or reduced considerably by T cell depletion with a mouse IgG2a anti-Thy-1.2 mAb or high-dose cyclophosphamide or by rabbit ATG, provided it was initiated before starting the sensitizing injections of the rat antimouse T cell antibodies.

Is ecto-5'-nucleotidase essential for stimulation of human lymphocytes? Evidence against a role of the enzyme as mitogenic lectin receptor.

We studied with specific polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies against human ecto-5'-nucleotidase whether the enzyme, located on the surface of human peripheral lymphocytes, could function as a mitogenic receptor for the lectins PHA, Con A and PWM. Strong, but unspecific inhibitory effects on lymphocyte stimulation are observed with unfractionated antisera and ascitic fluids. However, when purified IgG from these sources is used, no such effects are found, while at the same time, complete inhibition of ecto-5'-nucleotidase activity is maintained. It is concluded that the enzyme does not act as a mitogenic receptor for the lectins. When purine de novo synthesis of the lymphocytes is blocked by aminopterin and purine nucleotides in the extracellular medium are given as the only purine source, lymphocyte stimulation becomes dependent on the enzymatic activity of ecto-5'-nucleotidase. This is independent of the lectin used. Under these conditions, enzyme activity on the 20-30% 5'-nucleotidase-positive cells is necessary and is sufficient to support the stimulation of the whole culture. In these cultures, anti-5'-nucleotidase-IgG completely depresses cell proliferation, showing clearly that this is the only enzyme on the lymphocyte surface that is capable of degrading extracellular nucleotides.

In vivo immunosuppression by pan-T cell antibodies relates to their isotype and to their C1q uptake.

There is considerable interest in the use of monoclonal anti-T cell antibodies for immunosuppression during organ transplantation. However, the in vitro cytotoxic titers of these monoclonal reagents do not correlate with their immunosuppressive potency when injected in vivo. A relationship nevertheless seems to exist between immunosuppression and the isotype of anti-mouse Thy-1 antibodies, because among several anti-Thy-1 antibodies of mouse and rat origin, the only two found to cause immunosuppression in vivo belonged to the rat IgG2b and mouse IgG2a isotype. We show here that a quantitative positive correlation exists between an antibody-induced humoral effector mechanism and immunosuppression. We measured the uptake of the C1q complement subunit by polyclonal rabbit and rat anti-thymocyte globulin and also seven monoclonal anti-Thy-1 antibodies in an immunohistochemical assay or a radioimmunoassay. Immunosuppression was studied in a murine graft-vs-host and skin allograft model. Our results suggest strongly that a stable association between the C1 protein and a potential binding antibody is an essential prerequisite of antibody-dependent cell inhibition in vivo that suppresses the immunoresponse against strongly incompatible transplantation antigens.