MIC-1, a novel macrophage inhibitory cytokine, is a divergent member of the TGF-beta superfamily.

Macrophages play a key role in both normal and pathological processes involving immune and inflammatory responses, to a large extent through their capacity to secrete a wide range of biologically active molecules. To identify some of these as yet not characterized molecules, we have used a subtraction cloning approach designed to identify genes expressed in association with macrophage activation. One of these genes, designated macrophage inhibitory cytokine 1 (MIC-1), encodes a protein that bears the structural characteristics of a transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) superfamily cytokine. Although it belongs to this superfamily, it has no strong homology to existing families, indicating that it is a divergent member that may represent the first of a new family within this grouping. Expression of MIC-1 mRNA in monocytoid cells is up-regulated by a variety of stimuli associated with activation, including interleukin 1beta, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin 2, and macrophage colony-stimulating factor but not interferon gamma, or lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Its expression is also increased by TGF-beta. Expression of MIC-1 in CHO cells results in the proteolytic cleavage of the propeptide and secretion of a cysteine-rich dimeric protein of Mr 25 kDa. Purified recombinant MIC-1 is able to inhibit lipopolysaccharide -induced macrophage TNF-alpha production, suggesting that MIC-1 acts in macrophages as an autocrine regulatory molecule. Its production in response to secreted proinflammatory cytokines and TGF-beta may serve to limit the later phases of macrophage activation.

Molecular cloning and expression of a chloride ion channel of cell nuclei.

Ion channels are known to be present on the plasma membrane of virtually all cells and have been found on the membranes of various intracellular organelles. However, until recently they were believed not to occur at the nuclear membrane. In this study we describe the molecular cloning and characterization of a nuclear ion channel protein, designated nuclear chloride channel-27 (NCC27), from the human myelomonocytic cell line, U937. NCC27 is a novel chloride ion channel protein that was found to localize principally to the cell nucleus. Its only known homologue is a bovine chloride ion channel protein (p64) believed to localize to internal organelles. NCC27 therefore represents the first human member of a new class of organellar chloride ion channel proteins.

In vitro replication dynamics of human culture-derived macrophages in a long term serum-free system.

Human peripheral blood monocytes maintained in a long term serum-free system were found to undergo extensive replication. Newly replicated culture-derived macrophages initially appeared as colonies of small cells on the adherent monolayer. After the appearance of these colonies, large numbers of nonadherent macrophages were observed. Using PKH26, a fluorescent tracking dye, the increase in cell number was attributed to a replicating pool of cells. Half of the monocytes present in the original monolayer were able to undergo at least one cycle of replication and of these, approximately 16% underwent three or more cycles of replication. Macrophages in the nonadherent state contained a larger proportion of cells that had undergone division compared with adherent cells. However, it appeared that only adherent macrophages were capable of replication, suggesting movement between the adherent and nonadherent states. Culture-derived macrophages were also predisposed to multinucleated giant cell formation; and in the nonadherent state, their capacity to form these cells increased. At the end of the study period, approximately 25% of the cells maintained in a nonadherent state had two or more nuclei, and 3% had 10 or more nuclei. By comparison, the adherent cells, over the same period, had 10% of cells with two or more nuclei and none had 10 or more nuclei. These multinucleated cells were found to arise through cell fusion.

Monocyte proliferation in a cytokine-free, serum-free system.

The aim of this study was to establish a cytokine-free, serum-free system which would enable the long-term survival and proliferation of human peripheral blood monocytes. Monocytes were isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) by adherence to untreated plastic petri dishes and maintained up to 6 weeks in serum-free medium (SFM) consisting of IMEM, insulin, transferrin, sodium selenite and BSA. Maximal cell proliferation occurred during the first 2 weeks of culture and corresponded to the appearance of large numbers of pure, nonadherent culture-derived macrophages. Monocyte maturation was characterised by the modulation of specific cell surface antigens. The percentage of cells staining for the transferrin receptor increased with time, whereas the percentages of cells expressing CD11b, CD11c and HLA-DR remained greater than 60% for the 15 days studied. The mean fluorescent intensities (MFI) of all these antibodies increased significantly with time. The only differences found between the adherent and nonadherent cells, using the above antibodies, were with the MFI for CD11b and CD11c. In both cases, the intensity of staining was significantly greater in the adherent cells. Estimation of cytokine production by cells maintained for 5 weeks in SFM found that they constitutively produced large amounts of macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) in the absence of any exogenous stimuli. These cells were also found to secrete high levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) during the 1st week and granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) during the 3rd week. However, the addition of exogenous GM-CSF (5 U/ml, S5) was found to significantly inhibit monocyte proliferation up to 17 days. This is the first report of proliferation associated with long-term survival of culture derived macrophages in a serum-free, cytokine-free system.

Identification of the major fibroblast growth factors released spontaneously in inflammatory arthritis as platelet derived growth factor and tumour necrosis factor-alpha.

Rheumatoid arthritis is characterized by chronic inflammation and proliferation of a number of important elements within the joint including the synovial fibroblasts. Elevated levels of a number of cytokines such as Il-1, IL-2, IL-6, interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), transforming growth factor-beta and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) have been detected in the synovial fluid of patients with rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory arthritides. It seems likely that local release of such mediators may be responsible for the proliferation and overgrowth of connective tissue elements in these disorders. In order to ascertain whether there was evidence to suggest local production or release of fibroblast growth factors in the joint in inflammatory arthritis, and to determine their identity, cells were obtained from the synovial fluid of 15 patients with chronic inflammatory arthritides. All subjects' synovial fluid cells spontaneously released growth factor activity for fibroblasts. This was present in large amounts, being detectable in culture supernatants diluted to a titre of at least 1/625. By a series of depletion experiments using solid-phase bound antibodies to cytokines, it was possible to demonstrate that this activity was due to TNF-alpha and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF). Thus, this study showed for the first time that functionally active PDGF was released from synovial fluid cells. Both PDGF and TNF-alpha appeared to contribute in approximately equal amounts to this fibroblast growth factor activity, and were synergistic in effect. Thus this study provides evidence for the local production and release of these two cytokines and suggests that together they are the dominant factors in fibroblast proliferation within the synovial cavity.

Antibodies to tubulin and actin bind to the surface of a human monocytic cell line, U937.

Intermittent reports of cytoskeleton proteins (actin and tubulin) on the cell surface have appeared over the last 13 years. Whereas most have concentrated on lymphocytes, this study provides evidence for the presence of these proteins on the surface of a human cultured monocyte-like cell line, U937. Both actin and tubulin were detected on the surface of U937 cells by flow cytometry, using an indirect staining procedure based on biotin-streptavidin-phycoerythrin, chosen for greater sensitivity. By use of this procedure, the majority of viable unstimulated U937 cells stained positively for actin and tubulin, although the level of fluorescence intensity was low. With an antibody specific for tyrosine-tubulin, most of the surface tubulin was also found to be tyrosinylated. For vimentin, an intermediate filament protein abundantly present in the cytoplasm of U937 cells, no staining could be detected. Confirmation of the flow cytometry data for surface actin and tubulin on unstimulated U937 cells was achieved by direct vesualization using a confocal laser scanning microscope. When U937 cells were activated with PMA and LPS, a marked reduction in the level of cell surface actin and tubulin occurred. The role of cell surface actin and tubulin on unstimulated U937 cells, in terms of monocyte function, remains to be elucidated.

Interaction of immune and connective tissue cells: I. The effect of lymphokines and monokines on fibroblast growth.

In order to determine if mononuclear cells may be secreting factors capable of modulating fibroblast growth, the in vitro proliferative response of fibroblasts to cytokines known to be secreted by mononuclear cells was measured, using both growth arrested and proliferating cells. Of the cytokines tested, which included interleukin-1 (IL-1), interleukin-2 (IL-2), interleukin-3 (IL-3), interleukin-4 (IL-4), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha), interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha), transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta), platelet derived growth factor (PDGF), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), only TNF-alpha and PDGF had demonstrable growth factor activity. Neither IL-1 alpha nor beta showed any true growth factor activity but were able to enhance the replication of already proliferating cells. No inhibition of proliferation was noted by any of the cytokines with the exception of TNF-alpha and TGF-beta. TNF-alpha in doses greater than 500 ng/ml caused fibroblast death, probably by a prostaglandin related mechanism as fibroblasts remained viable, although non proliferative, when assayed in the presence of indomethacin, a known inhibitor of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) synthesis. TGF-beta was inhibitory to proliferation at doses greater than 100 ng/ml, while fibroblasts remained viable. This effect was not influenced by indomethacin and hence is unlikely to be PGE2 related.

Structural characterization of Dictyostelium discoideum prespore-specific gene D19 and of its product, cell surface glycoprotein PsA.

The Dictyostelium discoideum cell surface antigen PsA is a glycoprotein which first appears in the multicellular stage soon after tip formation and is selectively expressed on prespore cells. The D19 gene encodes an mRNA sequence which is highly enriched in prespore over prestalk cells in the slug stage. We have determined 81 amino acid residues of N-terminal sequence from immunoaffinity-purified PsA protein and shown this sequence to be identical to the predicted sequence of the D19 gene. There are several short repeat elements close to the C terminus, and unequal crossing-over within these is proposed to account for the size polymorphism observed in PsA protein isolated from different D. discoideum strains. The repeats are proline rich and show similarity to the C-terminal region of the D. discoideum cell adhesion molecule, contact sites A. The extreme C terminus, which is also homologous to contact sites A, is characteristic of proteins attached to the plasma membrane via a glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol link. We have marked the PsA gene by insertion of an oligonucleotide encoding an epitope of the human c-myc protein. A construct containing this gene and 990 base pairs of 5'-flanking region directed correct temporal and spatial mRNA accumulation. We found the marked PsA protein, detected with the human c-myc antibody, to be correctly localized on the surface of cells.

Characterization of an antigenically related family of cell-type specific proteins implicated in slug migration in Dictyostelium discoideum.

The monoclonal antibody MUD50 recognizes a group of developmentally regulated proteins, which are almost exclusively expressed by prespore cells in developing aggregates of Dictyostelium discoideum. Some of these antigens are integrally associated with the cell membrane, as assessed by physical and detergent-fractionation procedures. The MUD50-reactive proteins are glycosylated and some are phosphorylated. Post-translational modification is the common antigenic feature that is recognized by the MUD50 antibody in these cell-type-specific proteins. A glycosylation-defective mutant, DL118, (modB) does not express the MUD50 epitope, but does express the MUD52 epitope, which is found on a different group of glycoproteins. Therefore, we conclude that MUD50 recognizes a particular carbohydrate epitope on a restricted group of proteins. These proteins are structurally diverse, but are apparently involved in the maintenance of structure and movement of the multicellular D. discoideum slug.

A Mr 70,000 phosphoprotein of sympathetic neurons regulated by nerve growth factor and by depolarization.

The effect of nerve growth factor (NGF) on protein phosphorylation was investigated in cultures of dissociated, purified chick sympathetic neurons labeled with inorganic [32P]phosphate or [35S]methionine. For at least 90 min after dissociation and purification of the neurons, overall protein phosphorylation was similar in the absence and presence of added NGF, indicating that the neurons were not unspecifically affected by this period of NGF deprivation. Addition of NGF resulted in a marked decrease in the phosphorylation of a 70,000-dalton protein, designated p70 . p70 existed in five isoelectric variants, referred to as p70 /1-5. p70 /1 was unphosphorylated and was the least acidic variant. p70 /2-5 contained progressively more phosphate and they were increasingly acidic. NGF, via dephosphorylation (or via a highly specific and very limited proteolysis), induced the conversion of p70 /5 and p70 /4 to p70 /2. The effect of NGF on p70 involved phosphothreonine residues to a greater extent than phosphoserine residues and occurred rapidly, being detectable after 5 min and complete after 15 min. 8-Br-cAMP did not mimic the effect of NGF on p70 . Depolarization of the neurons with high K+ and addition of the calcium ionophore A23187 produced effects on the phosphorylated p70 variants similar to those induced by NGF. The response of p70 to two distinct "survival factors," NGF and depolarization, may suggest a role for this phosphoprotein in the survival of sympathetic neurons.

Effects of enucleation on high-affinity binding sites in chick optic tecta.

The effect of unilateral eye extirpation on the development of the chick optic tectum has been studied in both the embryo and the newly hatched chick. Although the prevention of normal afferentation of the embryonic tectum retarded its growth, there appeared to be a significant increase of muscarinic acetylcholine binding site in the noninnervated tectum. This phenomenon was repeated also in the posthatch denervated system wherein the functioning optic nerve is severed. A significant increase in the number of binding sites as well as reduced dissociation constant of the interactions of this receptor with [3H]quinuclindinyl benzilate was found in the deafferented optic tectum. This may suggest the presence of a denervation-supersensitivity-like modulation. Similar increases were not detected with other binding sites studied in either the noninnervated embryonic or deafferented posthatch optic lobes. The possibility that acetylcholine is a primary neurotransmitter of the optic system is discussed.

Regional circadian variation of acetylcholine muscarinic receptors in the rat brain.

The level of binding of a labeled acetylcholine muscarinic antagonist (quinuclidinyl benzilate) to different cerebral membranes has been measured. Of the regions examined, circadian rhythmicity of binding could only be detected significantly in the hippocampus and the hypothalamus and not in the cerebral cortex, striatum, or cerebellum.