ABSTRACT
The HIV-1 co-receptor CCR5 has been thought a relevant target for small interfering RNA (siRNA)-based therapeutics. However, recent findings suggest that siRNA can stimulate innate cytokine responses in mammals. All siRNA agents tested were able to down-regulate the expression of CCR5, albeit with different efficiency (51-74% down-regulation), block HIV-induced syncytia formation between HIV-1 BaL-infected and uninfected CD4(+) cells or block single-round HIV-1 infection as measured by a luciferase reporter assay (46-83% inhibition). Conversely, siRNA directed against CCR5 did not affect replication of a vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) pseudotyped virus, suggesting that inhibition of HIV replication was specific to CCR5 down-regulation. However, two of four siRNA tested were able to induce the production of interleukin (IL) IL-6 (sixfold induction) and IL-8 (ninefold induction) but no interferon (IFN)-alpha, IFN-beta, IFN-gamma, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1, macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1alpha, MIP-1beta, RANTES, IL-1beta, IL-10 or IL-12p70 cytokine induction was noted. In the absence of detectable IFN-alpha, IL-6 or IL-8 may represent markers of non-specific effects triggered by siRNA.
Subject(s)
CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes/immunology , Interleukin-6/immunology , Interleukin-8/immunology , RNA Interference , RNA, Small Interfering/genetics , Receptors, CCR5/genetics , Base Sequence , CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes/virology , Cell Line , Cytokines/immunology , Down-Regulation , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay , Flow Cytometry , HIV Infections/immunology , HIV Infections/therapy , HIV-1/genetics , HIV-1/physiology , Humans , Immunotherapy , Molecular Sequence Data , RNA, Messenger/genetics , Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction , Transfection/methods , Vesicular stomatitis Indiana virus/physiology , Virus ReplicationABSTRACT
Hybrid cell lines between HuT292-DM, a human lung carcinoma line resistant to 6-thioguanine and ouabain, and either normal human bronchial epithelial cells (NHBE) or an SV40 "immortalized" but nontumorigenic derivative thereof (BEAS-2B), have been isolated by double selection. Hybrids of NHBE and HuT292-DM cells senesced after 40-43 population doublings in culture. In contrast, hybrids of BEAS-2B and HuT292-DM showed no sign of a culture "crisis" and have an indefinite life span. HuT292-DM cells produced tumors in 100% of athymic nude mice with a mean latency of 27 days, whereas tumorigenicity was totally suppressed in 76% of the BEAS-2B x HuT292-DM hybrids, with a 2- to 3-fold increased tumor latency in the remaining 24% of these hybrids. While the hybrids are hypotriploid to hypotetraploid, the parental lines are hypodiploid. The growth of HuT292-DM cells is stimulated, whereas NHBE and BEAS-2B cells are inhibited by serum. The growth response of the BEAS-2B x HuT292-DM hybrids to serum is similar to that of HuT292-DM cells. Thus, tumorigenicity and culture longevity are dominantly controlled by the nontumorigenic parent (NHBE or BEAS-2B). On the other hand, serum responsiveness is more similar to that of the tumorigenic parent (HuT292-DM).
Subject(s)
Bronchi/cytology , Hybrid Cells/cytology , Lung Neoplasms/pathology , Tumor Cells, Cultured/cytology , Animals , Cell Division , Cell Fusion , Cell Line , Epithelial Cells , Genetic Markers , Humans , Karyotyping , Mice , Mice, Nude , MutationABSTRACT
Reports on correlations between the activity of so-called "marker enzymes of cholestasis" in serum and the ultrastructural changes of the liver are rare. Therefore studies of ultrastructural changes were carried out in 40 patients with intrahepatic cholestasis. In the patients' serum activity of alkaline phosphatase, bile duct alkaline phosphatase, leucine-aminopeptidase (LAP), and 5'-nucleotidase (5'-Nu) as well as the concentration of bilirubin were determined. The results showed a significant correlation between the morphometry of the bile canaliculi and the serum activity of LAP and 5'-Nu. In patients with elevated LAP, an enlargement of the bile canaliculi could be proved. An increased serum activity of 5'-Nu correlated with a higher incidence of bile canaliculi in the ultrastructural picture. The results suggest an investigation of the ultrastructure of bile canaliculi and the determination of marker enzymes of cholestasis in the serum may both contribute to the assessment of cholestatic liver disease.
