Shiga toxin 1 causes direct renal injury in rats.

Infection with Shiga toxin (Stx)-producing Escherichia coli has been implicated to cause hemolytic uremic syndrome, which is characterized by histological abnormalities such as microvascular thrombi and tubular cell damage in the kidney. Although Stx is known to be the major virulence factor of the pathogen, it is still unclear whether Stx directly impairs renal cells in vivo to cause such histological changes and deterioration of renal function. To assess the consequence of the direct action of Stx on renal cells, left kidneys of rats were perfused with Stx1 from the renal artery through the renal vein and then revascularized. Kidneys of control animals were perfused with the vehicle alone. On day 1, apoptosis and induction of tumor necrosis factor alpha gene expression were noticed to occur in the medulla of the Stx1-perfused kidneys. On day 3, extensive tubular injuries were observed by light microscopy: aggregated platelets and monocytic infiltrates in both glomeruli and the medullary interstitium were detected by immunostaining. Tubular changes were more extensive on day 9, with areas of infarction seen in the cortex and medulla. These changes were not found to occur in the sham-operated kidneys. No obvious glomerular changes were detected by light microscopy at any time point. When nonperfused right kidneys were removed after the Stx1 perfusion of the left kidneys, the serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen levels were increased from day 2, and acute renal failure followed on day 3. These results indicate that Stx1 caused glomerular platelet aggregation, tubular damage, and acute deterioration of renal function by acting directly on renal cells.

Role of mast cells in the development of renal fibrosis: use of mast cell-deficient rats.

BACKGROUND: Recent clinical studies have shown that the number of interstitial mast cells increases in various types of renal disease and correlates well with the magnitude of interstitial fibrosis. The present study was conducted to assess the role of mast cells in renal fibrosis by examining an experimental glomerular disease. METHODS: A rat model of chronic glomerular disease, puromycin aminonucleoside-nephrosis, was induced in mast cell-deficient (Ws/Ws) and normal (+/+) rats. RESULTS: The area of interstitial fibrosis was widely distributed at 6 weeks in both groups of rats; however, unexpectedly, the area of interstitial fibrosis was greater in Ws/Ws rats than in +/+ littermates. Biochemical analysis of the hydroxyproline content confirmed the more severe fibrosis in the Ws/Ws rats. The number of mast cells increased in both Ws/Ws and +/+ rats, concomitant with the development of interstitial fibrosis, but was confirmed to be lower in Ws/Ws than in +/+ rats. There were no differences in the numbers of interstitial macrophages and T lymphocytes between the two groups. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis of cytokine expression revealed that the level of mRNA for transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta), a potent profibrotic cytokine, was higher in Ws/Ws rats. In addition, heparin, one of the major components of mast cells, inhibited the expression of TGF-beta mRNA in rat fibroblasts in culture. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that mast cells do not play a major role in the pathogenesis of interstitial fibrosis in puromycin aminonucleoside nephrosis. Rather, they might be protective or ameliorative in this model through the inhibition of TGF-beta production by heparin, and possibly in other models and also in humans.

Characterization of extrathymic CD8 alpha beta T cells in the liver and intestine in TAP-1 deficient mice.

TAP-1 deficient (-/-) mice cannot transport MHC class I antigens onto the cell surface, which results in failure of the generation of CD8+ T cells in the thymus. In a series of recent studies, it has been proposed that extrathymic T cells are generated in the liver and at other extrathymic sites (e.g. the intestine). It was therefore investigated whether CD8+ extrathymic T cells require an interaction with MHC class I antigens for their differentiation in TAP-1(-/-) mice. Although CD8+ thymically derived T cells were confirmed to be absent in the spleen as well as in the thymus, CD8 alpha beta+ T cells were abundant in the livers and intestines of TAP-1(-/-) mice. These CD8+ T cells expanded in the liver as a function of age and were mainly confined to a NK1.1-CD3int population which is known to be truly of extrathymic origin. Hepatic lymphocytes, which contained CD8+ T cells and which were isolated from TAP-1(-/-) mice (H-2b), responded to neither mutated MHC class I antigens (bm1) nor allogeneic MHC class I antigens (H-2d) in in vitro mixed lymphocyte cultures. However, the results from repeated in vivo stimulations with alloantigens (H-2d) were interesting. Allogeneic cytotoxicity was induced in liver lymphocytes in TAP-1(-/-) mice, although the magnitude of cytotoxicity was lower than that of liver lymphocytes in immunized B6 mice. All allogeneic cytotoxicity disappeared with the elimination of CD8+ cells in TAP-1(-/-) mice. These results suggest that the generation and function of CD8+ extrathymic T cells are independent of the existence of the MHC class I antigens of the mouse but have a limited allorecognition ability.

Identification of NDRG1 as an early inducible gene during in vitro maturation of cultured mast cells.

Coculture of mouse bone marrow-derived mast cells (BMMC) with fibroblasts in the presence of stem cell factor (SCF) facilitates morphological and functional maturation toward a connective tissue mast cell (CTMC)-like phenotype. By means of cDNA subtraction, we identified several inducible genes during this mast cell maturation process. Of approximately 100 sequenced clones induced, nearly 50% were chromosome 14-associated serine proteases. Approximately 14% encoded NDRG1, a 43-kDa cytosolic protein that has been implicated in cell differentiation. NDRG1 was distributed in the cytosol of cultured mast cells and CTMC in rat skin. Overexpression of NDRG1 in RBL-2H3 cells resulted in enhanced degranulation in response to various stimuli. Thus, NDRG1 may be a mast cell maturation-associated inducible protein that allows the cells to be susceptible to extracellular stimuli leading to degranulation. Additionally, several unique maturation-associated inducible genes were identified, molecular and functional characterization of which will provide new insights into mast cell biology.

Involvement of the V2 receptor in vasopressin-stimulated translocation of placental leucine aminopeptidase/oxytocinase in renal cells.

The placental leucine aminopeptidase (P-LAP)/oxytocinase is a membrane-bound enzyme thought to play an important role during pregnancy. In this study, we identified the presence of P-LAP protein in the renal distal tubules and collecting ducts. In rat NRK52E cells derived from renal tubules, P-LAP was localized mainly in the intracellular compartment. Upon the treatment of cells with 8-arginine-vasopressin (AVP), a significant increase in the surface level of P-LAP was observed. [deamino-Cys1, d-Arg8]-vasopressin (DDAVP), a specific V2 receptor agonist, increased the surface level of P-LAP, while [adamantaneacetyl1, O-Et-d-Tyr2, Val4, aminobutyryl6, Arg8,9]-vasopressin (AEAVP), a potent V2 receptor antagonist, blocked the AVP-stimulated enhancement. Moreover, reagents known to enhance the intracellular level of cAMP have also been shown to increase the surface level of P-LAP. When we examined the colocalization of P-LAP with the cell surface water channel aquaporin-2 (AQP-2) that is regulated by AVP, the P-LAP-containing vesicles had a relatively higher density than the AQP-2-containing vesicles, suggesting that P-LAP and AQP-2 are differently distributed in NRK52E cells. These results suggest that AVP induces the translocation of P-LAP via V2 receptor and P-LAP plays a role in the regulation of excessive AVP level in the renal collecting duct, acting as a negative feedback mechanism for the AVP action of regulating water reabsorption.

Identification of effector cells for TNFalpha-mediated cytotoxicity against WEHI164S cells.

WEHI164S cells were found to be very sensitive targets for in vitro killing in a 6-h culture when liver or splenic lymphocytes were used as effector cells in mice. Of particular interest, a limiting cell-dilution analysis showed that effector cells were present in the liver with a high frequency (1/4,300). In contrast to YAC-1 cells as NK targets, perforin-based cytotoxicity was not highly associated with WEHI164S killing. The major killer mechanism for WEHI164S targets was TNFalpha-mediated cytotoxicity. By cell sorting experiments, both NK cells and intermediate T cells (i.e., TCR(int) cells) were found to contain effector cells against WEHI164S cells. However, the killer mechanisms underlying these effector cells were different. Namely, NK cells killed WEHI164S cells by perforin-based cytotoxicity, TNFalpha-mediated cytotoxicity, Fas ligand cytotoxicity, and other mechanisms, whereas intermediate T cells did so mainly by TNFalpha-mediated cytotoxicity. These results suggest that TNFalpha-mediated cytotoxicity mediated by so-called natural cytotoxic (NC) cells comprised events which were performed by both NK and intermediate T cells using somewhat different killer mechanisms. Intermediate T cells which were present in the liver were able to produce TNFalpha if there was appropriate stimulation.

A repeat biopsy study in spontaneous crescentic glomerulonephritis mice.

BACKGROUND: Spontaneous crescentic glomerulonephritis (SCG)/Kj mice are a candidate for suitable animal model of human pauci-immune crescentic glomerulonephritis (GN). In the present study, we used renal biopsy technique and analyzed time sequence correlations among crescent formation and glomerular neutrophil infiltration in SCG/Kj mice. METHODS: We observed the progress of GN in SCG/Kj mice according to the urinary abnormalities, and performed the serial renal biopsies. The kinetics of histopathology and glomerular neutrophil influx corresponding disease stage were examined by enzyme-histochemistry and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: We divided natural course of GN into three periods in view of urinalysis: a proteinuria-negative/hematuria-negative (P- H-) period, followed by a proteinuria-positive/hematuria-negative (P+ H-) period, and finally a proteinuria-positive/hematuria-positive (P+ H+) period. Endocapillary proliferation phase existed in P+ H- period, whereas crescent formation occurred and extended in P+ H+ period. In P+ H- period, prominent glomerular neutrophil infiltration was observed, while these numbers decreased with the progression of crescent formation. CONCLUSION: These observations suggest that there is a good correlation between urinalysis and histopathological events of SCG/Kj mice, and that endocapillary proliferation, which contains neutrophil infiltration, may contribute to the subsequent crescent formation in these mice.

A therapeutic agent with oriented carbohydrates for treatment of infections by Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O157:H7.

Infection with Shiga toxin (Stx)-producing Escherichia coli O157:H7, which causes diarrhea and hemorrhagic colitis in humans, often results in fatal systemic complications, such as neurological damage and hemolytic-uremic syndrome. Because Stx circulating in the blood is a major causative factor of these complications, the development of a Stx neutralizer that functions in the circulation holds promise as a viable therapy. Here we developed a series of carbosilane dendrimers, in which trisaccharides of globotriaosyl ceramide, a receptor for Stx, were variously oriented at their termini (referred to as SUPER TWIG), and identified a SUPER TWIG with six trisaccharides as a Stx neutralizer functioning in the circulation. This SUPER TWIG specifically bound to Stx with high affinity (K(d) = 1.1 x 10(-6) M) and inhibited the incorporation of the toxin into target cells. Intravenous administration of the SUPER TWIG along with Stx to mice substantially reduced the fatal brain damage and completely suppressed the lethal effect of Stx. Moreover, the SUPER TWIG protected mice from challenge with a fatal dose of E. coli O157:H7, even when administered after the establishment of the infection. The SUPER TWIG neutralized Stx in vivo by a mechanism in which the accumulation and immediate degradation of Stx by phagocytic macrophages present in the reticuloendothelial system were induced. Taken together, our findings indicate that this SUPER TWIG is therapeutic agent against infections by Stx-producing E. coli.

Leukocyte accumulation and changes in extra-renal organs during renal ischemia reperfusion in mice.

Multiorgan failure is a life threatening complication in patients with ischemic acute renal failure (ARF). However, little is known about the underlying multiorgan system cellular immunity in ischemic ARF. We therefore studied the dynamics of cells accumulating in the kidneys and other organs in mice and analyzed the characteristics of the accumulated cells. We prepared a unilateral renal ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI) model in C57BL/6 or C3H/He mice. At 1 to 3 hours after renal ischemia, increased accumulations of neutrophils and intermediate T cells were observed in the clamped kidney, but the same phenomena were also observed in the nonclamped kidney, liver, and spleen. After 24 hours, these cell numbers had returned to preischemic levels, but remained elevated for a longer period in the clamped kidney. The intermediate T cells that accumulated in the kidney and liver in the IRI mice expressed higher Vbeta chains specific to forbidden clones than in the control mice. Moreover, the accumulated intermediate T cells in the IRI liver had cytotoxic activity against both tumor cells and syngeneic thymocytes. In the clamped kidney, the accumulated intermediate T cells had less cytotoxic activity against tumor cells; however, the expression of the Fas ligand (FasL) increased, indicating a cell-mediated tissue injury via the Fas/FasL system. Histopathologically, an influx of neutrophils and lymphocytes was observed not only in the clamped kidney but also in the hepatic sinusoids concomitantly with liver dysfunction. These findings indicate that a systemic cellular immune response, including intermediate T cells, affects multiple organs during ischemic ARF, which may play an important role in the development of multiorgan failure.