TRAIL-R2: a novel apoptosis-mediating receptor for TRAIL.

TRAIL is a member of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) family of cytokines and induces apoptosis in a wide variety of cells. Based on homology searching of a private database, a receptor for TRAIL (DR4 or TRAIL-R1) was recently identified. Here we report the identification of a distinct receptor for TRAIL, TRAIL-R2, by ligand-based affinity purification and subsequent molecular cloning. TRAIL-R2 was purified independently as the only receptor for TRAIL detectable on the surface of two different human cell lines that undergo apoptosis upon stimulation with TRAIL. TRAIL-R2 contains two extracellular cysteine-rich repeats, typical for TNF receptor (TNFR) family members, and a cytoplasmic death domain. TRAIL binds to recombinant cell-surface-expressed TRAIL-R2, and TRAIL-induced apoptosis is inhibited by a TRAIL-R2-Fc fusion protein. TRAIL-R2 mRNA is widely expressed and the gene encoding TRAIL-R2 is located on human chromosome 8p22-21. Like TRAIL-R1, TRAIL-R2 engages a caspase-dependent apoptotic pathway but, in contrast to TRAIL-R1, TRAIL-R2 mediates apoptosis via the intracellular adaptor molecule FADD/MORT1. The existence of two distinct receptors for the same ligand suggests an unexpected complexity to TRAIL biology, reminiscent of dual receptors for TNF, the canonical member of this family.

The endothelial cell ecto-ADPase responsible for inhibition of platelet function is CD39.

We previously demonstrated that when platelets are in motion and in proximity to endothelial cells, they become unresponsive to agonists (Marcus, A.J., L.B. Safier, K.A. Hajjar, H.L. Ullman, N. Islam, M.J. Broekman, and A.M. Eiroa. 1991. J. Clin. Invest. 88:1690-1696). This inhibition is due to an ecto-ADPase on the surface of endothelial cells which metabolizes ADP released from activated platelets, resulting in blockade of the aggregation response. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) ADPase was biochemically classified as an E-type ATP-diphosphohydrolase. The endothelial ecto-ADPase is herein identified as CD39, a molecule originally characterized as a lymphoid surface antigen. All HUVEC ecto-ADPase activity was immunoprecipitated by monoclonal antibodies to CD39. Surface localization of HUVEC CD39 was established by confocal microscopy and flow cytometric analyses. Transfection of COS cells with human CD39 resulted in both ecto-ADPase activity as well as surface expression of CD39. PCR analyses of cDNA obtained from HUVEC mRNA and recombinant human CD39 revealed products of the same size, and of identical sequence. Northern blot analyses demonstrated that HUVEC express the same sized transcripts for CD39 as MP-1 cells (from which CD39 was originally cloned). We established the role of CD39 as a prime endothelial thromboregulator by demonstrating that CD39-transfected COS cells acquired the ability to inhibit ADP-induced aggregation in platelet-rich plasma. The identification of HUVEC ADPase/CD39 as a constitutively expressed potent inhibitor of platelet reactivity offers new prospects for antithrombotic therapeusis.

A metalloproteinase disintegrin that releases tumour-necrosis factor-alpha from cells.

Mammalian cells proteolytically release (shed) the extracellular domains of many cell-surface proteins. Modification of the cell surface in this way can alter the cell's responsiveness to its environment and release potent soluble regulatory factors. The release of soluble tumour-necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) from its membrane-bound precursor is one of the most intensively studied shedding events because this inflammatory cytokine is so physiologically important. The inhibition of TNF-alpha release (and many other shedding phenomena) by hydroxamic acid-based inhibitors indicates that one or more metalloproteinases is involved. We have now purified and cloned a metalloproteinase that specifically cleaves precursor TNF-alpha. Inactivation of the gene in mouse cells caused a marked decrease in soluble TNF-alpha production. This enzyme (called the TNF-alpha-converting enzyme, or TACE) is a new member of the family of mammalian adamalysins (or ADAMs), for which no physiological catalytic function has previously been identified. Our results should facilitate the development of therapeutically useful inhibitors of TNF-alpha release, and they indicate that an important function of adamalysins may be to shed cell-surface proteins.

Fas ligand mediates activation-induced cell death in human T lymphocytes.

A significant proportion of previously activated human T cells undergo apoptosis when triggered through the CD3/T cell receptor complex, a process termed activation-induced cell death (AICD). Ligation of Fas on activated T cells by either Fas antibodies or recombinant human Fas-ligand (Fas-L) also results in cytolysis. We demonstrate that these two pathways of apoptosis are causally related. Stimulation of previously activated T cells resulted in the expression of Fas-L mRNA and lysis of Fas-positive target cells. Fas-L antagonists inhibited AICD of T cell clones and staphylococcus enterotoxin B (SEB)-specific T cell lines. The data indicate AICD in previously stimulated T cells is mediated by Fas/Fas-L interactions.

Identification of a distinct low-affinity receptor for human interleukin-4 on pre-B cells.

Biotinylated interleukin-4 (IL-4) was used to examine IL-4 receptor (IL-4R) expression on a range of human B-cell lines by flow cytometry. Using high concentrations of biotinylated IL-4, we have identified a novel low-affinity IL-4 receptor expressed at high levels on pre-B lines. Expression of this low-affinity receptor did not correlate with detected mRNA levels for the previously cloned receptor or with reactivity of two anti-human IL-4R monoclonal antibodies (MoAb). Radiolabeled IL-4 cross-linking studies using pre-B lines showed a doublet of 65 to 75 Kd in contrast to the 110- to 130-Kd molecule detected on cells expressing the cloned IL-4R. A soluble IL-4 binding protein (IL-4bp) was purified from the supernatants of three pre-B lines expressing the low-affinity receptor on their surface. IL-4bp could block both IL-4-mediated CD23 induction on tonsil B cells and IL-4-induced inhibition of proliferation of the pre-B line JM1. Partial N-terminal amino acid sequence was obtained from purified IL-4bp that confirmed this protein to be novel. A 12 amino acid peptide based on the IL-4bp sequence was used to produce a polyclonal antiserum that was reactive with purified IL-4bp, and also bound to the surface of pre-B cells but not to murine CTLL cells transfected with the human IL-4R. Blocking MoAb against the previously characterized high-affinity receptor inhibited IL-4-mediated proliferation of hIL-4R+ CTLL cells but had no effect on IL-4-induced inhibition of JM1 cell proliferation, and only partially inhibited IL-4-mediated CD23 and sIgM induction and proliferation of tonsil B cells. The data presented here provide evidence for a novel cell-surface expressed low-affinity IL-4R that also exists as a biologically active soluble IL-4 binding protein.

Molecular cloning and characterization of a novel receptor protein tyrosine kinase from human placenta.

Using a polymerase chain reaction-based approach we have isolated and characterized a cDNA (HPK-6) from human placental RNA encoding a novel receptor protein tyrosine kinase. This receptor tyrosine kinase has a unique extracellular domain, with an immunoglobulin-like domain at the amino terminus followed by three EGF-like cysteine repeats and three fibronectin type III repeats, giving the HPK-6 gene extracellular domain a novel combination of structural motifs. A comparison of the HPK-6 sequence with other receptor tyrosine kinases shows that the HPK-6 gene is the human homolog of the murine tek gene and very closely related to the recently described receptor tyrosine kinase tie. The HPK-6 gene is expressed predominantly in placenta and lung, with a lower level in umbilical vein endothelial cells, brain and kidney. The HPK-6 cDNA, when transfected into COS-7 cells, encodes a 140-kDa protein with in vitro kinase activity.

Regulation of murine in vivo IgG and IgE responses by a monoclonal anti-IL-4 receptor antibody.

Although the cytokine interleukin 4 (IL-4) stimulates LPS-activated mouse B lymphocytes to secrete both IgG1 and IgE, an anti-IL-4 antibody completely inhibits IgE responses but has little or no effect on several in vivo IgG responses. IL-4 might, therefore, have a restricted role in the generation of in vivo humoral immune responses. Alternatively, IgG1 responses might be stimulated by IL-4 secreted by T cells that are interacting directly with B cells, so that anti-IL-4 antibody cannot neutralize IL-4 before it binds to a B cell IL-4 receptor. In contrast, an antibody that blocks the IL-4 receptor (IL-4R) should equally inhibit responses to IL-4 produced proximal to or distant from a B cell. This reasoning led us to determine the ability of an anti-IL-4R mAb to affect antibody production in mice injected with a goat antibody to mouse IgD (GaM delta) or inoculated with the nematode parasite Heligmosomoides polygyrus. Anti-IL-4R mAb, like anti-IL-4 mAb, blocked IgE responses by greater than 95% and enhanced IgG2a responses to a variable extent. Anti-IL-4R mAb, however, had only a modest and variable inhibitory effect on the induction of IgG1 responses, although it caused these responses to terminate more rapidly. A combination of anti-IL-4 and anti-IL-4R mAbs totally blocked goat anti-mouse IgD antibody (GaM delta)-induced IgE production but had no additive inhibitory effect on IgG1 production. These observations are most consistent with the view that IL-4 is required for a primary IgE response, but has relatively little role in the induction of IgG1 responses in the in vivo systems studied.

Monoclonal antibodies block murine IL-4 receptor function.

IL-4 is a cytokine which can induce B-lymphocyte proliferation, increase cell-surface Ia expression, and induce some activated B cells to differentiate and begin to secrete IgE. IL-4 binds specifically to a cell-surface receptor (IL-4R) on cells from a variety of lineages including T and B cells. In general both primary cells and in vitro cell lines express less than 5000 receptors per cell. Utilizing a subclone of the cytotoxic T cell line CTLL-2 expressing a high level of IL-4R, mAb against the murine IL-4R were prepared. Two mAb have been identified which have different properties. These antibodies, designated M1 and M2, recognize sequences specific to the murine IL-4R. Immunoprecipitation studies with M1 and M2 on CTLL-2 cells have identified the receptor as a Mr = 145,000 cell-surface protein. Similar results have been obtained with the recently isolated full length murine IL-4R cDNA expressed in COS-7 cells. In addition the antibodies are capable of inhibiting IL-4 binding. One antibody, M1, is also a potent inhibitor of IL-4-induced proliferation. These antibodies will be useful in dissecting a wide array of activities attributed to IL-4.

Lymphokine control of in vivo immunoglobulin isotype selection.

Several specific conclusions can be drawn from these studies: 1. IL-4 is required for the generation of both primary polyclonal and secondary antigen-specific IgE responses in vivo. 2. IL-4 is required to maintain established, ongoing, antigen-specific and polyclonal IgE responses. 3. Most, but not all, polyclonal IgE production during a secondary immune response is IL-4-dependent. Memory B cells that have already switched to IgE at the DNA level may no longer require stimulation with IL-4 to be induced to secrete IgE. 4. The generation of a secondary IgE response is not dependent upon the presence of IL-4 during primary immunization. However, if IL-4 is not present during primary immunization, it is required during secondary immunization for the generation of an IgE response. 5. IL-4 does not appear to be required for the generation of in vivo IgG1 responses, and in at least some instances, does not contribute significantly to the generation of IgG1 responses in vivo. 6. A late-acting form of T-cell help other than IL-4 appears to be required for the generation of an IgE, but not an IgG1 response. 7. An antibody that inhibits IL-4 binding to IL-4 receptors affects Ig isotype selection in the same way as an antibody that neutralizes IL-4. 8. IFN-gamma can act in both spontaneous and induced immune responses to suppress IgE production. 9. IFN-gamma can also suppress IgG1 production and stimulate IgG2a production. However, IFN-gamma appears to suppress polyclonal IgG1 responses more than antigen-specific IgG1 responses, and it enhances, but is not required for, the generation of IgG2a responses. 10. IFN-alpha appears to resemble IFN-gamma in its ability to inhibit IgE and enhance IgG2a responses in GaM delta-injected mice, but it requires the presence of IFN-gamma to suppress IgG1 production in these mice. 11. Both IFN-alpha and IFN-gamma appear to be able to decrease IgE production in some human patients. 12. There is no direct evidence that IL-5 contributes to the generation of in vivo antibody responses. Two general conclusions may also be drawn.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)