Inhibition of keratinocyte apoptosis by IL-15: a new parameter in the pathogenesis of psoriasis?

Keratinocytes (KC) are important source of and targets for several cytokines. Although KC express IL-15 mRNA, the functional effects of IL-15 on these epithelial cells remain to be dissected. Investigating primary human foreskin KC and HaCaT cells, we show here by semiquantitative RT-PCR and flow cytometric analysis that both translate IL-15 and IL-15R mRNA and express IL-15 and IL-15Ralpha protein on the cell surface, suggesting that human KC can employ IL-15 for juxtacrine signaling. While IL-15 exerted no significant effect on KC proliferation and IL-6 or IL-8 secretion, IL-15 inhibited both anti-Fas and methylcellulose-induced KC apoptosis in vitro. This is in line with the recognized potent anti-apoptotic effects of IL-15. IL-2, whose receptor shares two components with the IL-15R, failed to inhibit KC apoptosis. Together with the role of IL-15 in sustaining chronic immune reactions, this invited the question of whether a reduction of KC apoptosis by IL-15 may be involved in the pathogenesis of psoriasis, a chronic hyperproliferative inflammatory skin disease characterized by abnormally low KC apoptosis in the epidermis. Remarkably, compared with nonlesional psoriatic skin and skin of healthy volunteers, lesional psoriatic epidermis showed high IL-15 protein expression in the epidermis and enhanced binding activity for IL-15. Therefore, antagonizing the inhibitory effects of IL-15 on KC apoptosis deserves exploration as a novel therapeutic strategy in psoriasis management.

[Apoptosis and thymocyte development (epithelial cells as inducers of thymocyte apoptosis)]. / Apoptoz i razvitie timotsitov (épitelial'nye kletki kak induktory apoptoza timotsitov).

Apoptosis, together with proliferation, is a main factor of selection of the clones of developing T-lymphocytes: the clones not supported by positive selection are subject to apoptosis and apoptosis accounts for discarding of potentially autoaggressive clones, i.e., for negative selection in the thymus and peripheral lymphoid tissue. Realization of apoptosis at different stages of the development of T-lymphocytes depends to a varying extent on Fas, Bcl-2, p53, and other regulators. The dendritic cells are the main cell type, the contact with determines apoptosis of T-lymphocytes. A possible role of the epithelial cells was shown in few models (on murine cells) and was not practically studied. We obtained a line of epithelial cells of the human thymus cells HTSC, cocultivation with which induces apoptosis of immature thymocytes and blood T-cells activated by mitogens. Development of apoptosis is suppressed by inhibitors of protein and RNA synthesis, chelators Ca2+, ions Zn2+, and factors destroying the cytoskeleton components. In this model, interaction of pairs of molecules CD4-HLA class II and LFA-1-ICAM-1. When in contact with the HTSC cells, the thymocytes of mice mutant for Fas-receptor (line MRL.lpr) are subject to apoptosis, but when this receptor is present, it affects the development of apoptosis.

[Protein phosphatases: structure and function]. / Proteinfosfatazy: struktura i funktsii.

The process of protein and enzyme systems phosphorylation is necessary for cell growth, differentiation and preparation for division and mitosis. The conformation changes of protein as a result of phosphorylation lead to increased enzyme activity and enhanced affinity to substrates. A large group of enzymes--protein kinases--is responsible for phosphorylation process in cell, which are divided into tyrosine- and serine-threonine-kinases depending on their ability to phosphorylate appropriate amino acid residues. In this review has been considered the functional importance and structure of protein phosphatases--enzymes, which are functional antagonists of protein kinases.

[Tyrosine protein kinase: role in the process of activating lymphocytes]. / Tirozinovye proteinkinazy: rol' v protsesse aktivatsii limfotsitov.

Some types of receptor and intracellular protein-tyrosine kinases are reviewed. These enzyme systems play an important role in activation of T- and B-lymphocytes and their precursors. The relationship is shown between the two main ways of lymphocyte activation: the phosphatidylinositol metabolic pathway, induced by protein kinase C, and the protein-tyrosine kinase pathway of intracellular protein and enzyme phosphorylation.