Differential regulation of mouse kidney sodium-dependent transporters mRNA by cadmium.

Chronic exposure to cadmium can result in renal glycosuria. Previously, we reported that cadmium reduced the relative abundance of the sodium-glucose cotransporter mRNA (Blumenthal et al., Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol.149, 49-54, 1998). To investigate this phenomenon further, we isolated full-length cDNA clones encoding both high- and low-affinity sodium-dependent glucose transporters SGLT1 and SGLT2, respectively, from cultured mouse kidney cortical cells. We also amplified a fragment of another putative sodium-glucose cotransporter with homology to the known SAAT1/pSGLT2 or SGLT3 from our cultured cells and named it SGLT3. In order to examine the effect of cadmium on these transporters, primary cultures of mouse kidney cortical cells were exposed to micromolar concentrations of cadmium for 24 h and levels of SGLT1, SGLT2, and SGLT3 mRNA were determined by semiquantitative RT-PCR. Five to 10 microM of cadmium inhibited sodium-dependent uptake of the glucose analog, alpha-methyl D-glucopyranoside and progressively reduced the level of SGLT1. Cadmium also inhibited SGLT2 mRNA by 37%, but no further decline was observed at concentrations of cadmium greater than 5 microM. While cadmium inhibited SGLT1 and SGLT2, it significantly stimulated the expression of SGLT3 by fivefold. These results imply that individual sodium-glucose cotransporter mRNA species are not regulated in a similar fashion. In addition, the isolation of three separate SGLT species from these cultures suggests that, in addition to SGLT1 and SGLT2, glucose reabsorption by renal epithelial cells might involve additional glucose transporters such as SGLT3.

Immunobiology of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection: the role of CD4 T cells in HCV infection.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is yet another example of a pathogen that persists in the presence of a readily apparent immune response. As evidence for both humoral and cellular immune responsiveness is quite strong, our studies have begun to examine whether qualitative defects in CD4 T-cell responses to viral antigens may help to explain why HCV is not eliminated in the vast majority of infections. Direct evidence that CD4 T cells play a role in HCV persistence is lacking, but several observations are consistent with this possibility. Importantly, it does not exclude the role of antibody or killer T cells in the immunopathogenesis of HCV infection. In addition, we discuss the consequences of viral mutation and how naturally occurring variants in immunodominant viral epitopes can effectively suppress helper T-cell responses to wild type virus.

Functionally distinct T-cell epitopes within the hepatitis C virus non-structural 3 protein.

Clearance of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infection is an uncommon phenomenon. To understand the mechanism of viral persistence despite active cellular and humoral responses, we examined the in vitro cytokine response of PBMC from an HCV sero-positive, asymptomatic individual to recombinant intact antigen and sixty-nine overlapping peptides of the HCV non-structural (NS) 3 protein. Whereas, intact antigen induced strong proliferation and significant levels of gammaIFN and IL-10, little or no IL-2 was produced. Only 7% of peptides induced IL-2, which also coincided with their ability to stimulate proliferation. In contrast, 38% of the peptides induced gammaIFN while 35% induced IL-10. All IL-2 stimulating peptides also induced significant levels of gammaIFN and among these, a peptide corresponding to residues 358-375 was the strongest. In addition, 16% of the peptides induced both gammaIFN and IL-10. Exogenous recombinant IL-10 inhibited proliferation and IL-2 induction in response to peptide 358-375. Furthermore, neutralization of IL-10 with an anti-IL-10 antibody resulted in enhanced IL-2 production in response to recombinant NS3 protein. We suggest that IL-10 inducing epitopes within HCV NS3 may thus down-regulate IL-2 dependent T-cell responses.

Role of the histidine kinase, EnvZ, in the production of outer membrane proteins in the symbiotic-pathogenic bacterium Xenorhabdus nematophilus.

We show that inactivation of envZ, the gene encoding the histidine kinase sensor protein, EnvZ, of Xenorhabdus nematophilus, affected the production of several outer membrane proteins (Opns). X. nematophilus produced five major Opns during exponential growth. Insertional inactivation of envZ led to a decrease in the production of OpnP, the OmpF-like pore-forming protein which constitutes approximately 50% of the total outer membrane protein in X. nematophilus. OpnA production was also reduced, while the remaining Opns were produced normally. During the transition to stationary phase, three new outer membrane proteins, OpnB, OpnS, and OpnX, were induced in the wild-type strain. The envZ-minus strain, ANT1, did not produce OpnB and OpnX, while OpnS was induced at markedly reduced levels. These results suggest that EnvZ was required for the high-level production of OpnP during exponential growth and may be involved in the production of OpnB, OpnS, and OpnX during stationary-phase growth. We also show that ANT1 was more pathogenic than the wild-type strain when as few as five cells were injected into the hemolymph of the larval stage of the tobacco hornworm (Manduca sexta). The larvae died before significant numbers of bacteria were detectable in the hemolymph. These results are discussed in relation to the role of EnvZ in the life cycle of X. nematophilus.

Molecular analysis of the two-component genes, ompR and envZ, in the symbiotic bacterium Xenorhabdus nematophilus.

In Escherichia coli the histidine kinase sensor protein, EnvZ, undergoes autophosphorylation and subsequently phosphorylates the regulatory protein, OmpR. Modulation of the levels of OmpR-phosphate controls the differential expression of ompF and ompC. While the phosphotransfer reaction between EnvZ and OmpR has been extensively studied, the domains involved in the sensing function of EnvZ are not well understood. We have used a comparative approach to study the sensing function of EnvZ. During our search of numerous bacteria we found that the symbiotic/pathogenic bacterium Xenorhabdus nematophilus contained the operon encoding both ompR and envZ. Nucleotide sequence analysis revealed that EnvZ of X. nematophilus (EnvZX.n.) is composed of 342 amino acid residues, which is 108 residues shorter than EnvZ of E. coli (EnvZE.c.). Amino acid sequence comparison showed that the cytoplasmic domains of the EnvZ molecules shared 57% sequence identity. In contrast, the large hydrophilic periplasmic domain of EnvZE.c. was absent in EnvZX.n., and was replaced by a shorter hydrophobic region. Although the periplasmic domains had diverged extensively, envZX.n. was able to complement a delta envZ strain of E. coli. OmpF and OmpC were differentially produced in response to changes in medium osmolarity in this strain. Further genetic analysis established that heterologous phosphorylation between EnvZX.n. and OmpR of E. coli (OmpRE.c.) accounted for the complementation of the delta envZ strain. In addition we show that the OmpR molecules of X. nematophilus and E. coli share 78% amino acid sequence identity. These results indicate that the EnvZ protein of X. nematophilus was able to sense these changes in the osmolarity of the growth environment and properly regulate the levels of OmpR-phosphate in E. coli.