Complexity of effector mechanisms in cyclosporine-induced syngeneic graft-versus-host disease.

Administration of the immunosuppressive drug cyclosporine after syngeneic or autologous bone marrow transplantation elicits a T-lymphocyte-dependent autoimmune syndrome similar to graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). The onset of this autoaggression syndrome, termed syngeneic GVHD, is associated with the development of a highly restricted repertoire of CD8+ autoreactive T cells that recognize a peptide from the invariant chain, termed CLIP, presented by major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecules. Clonal analysis reveals 2 distinct subsets of autoreactive T cells defined by their activation requirement for either the N-terminal or the C-terminal flanking regions of CLIP and by their cytokine profile. The studies here reveal that the autoreactive T-cell clones requiring the N-terminal flanking region of CLIP produce type 1 cytokines (interferon [IFN]-gamma, interleukin [IL]-2, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha). In contrast, the autoreactive T-cell clones that require the C-terminal flanking region of CLIP produce type 2 cytokines (IL-4, IL-10, transforming growth factor-beta). As assessed in a local graft-versus-host reaction assay, the N-terminal flanking-restricted clones mediate changes consistent with acute GVHD, whereas the clones responsive to the C-terminal flanking region do not. Moreover, the autoreactive T-cell clones restricted by the C-terminal flanking region of CLIP ameliorate the pathogenic potential of the cells responsive to the N-terminal flanking region of CLIP. The mechanism accounting for this regulatory affect appears to be the downregulation of mRNA message for type 1 cytokines (IFN-gamma and IL-2). The C-terminal-restricted autoreactive T-cell clones, however, could manifest disease with dermal changes similar to those seen in chronic syngeneic GVHD, provided that IFN-gamma was present. Consistent with these observations was the demonstration that type 1 cytokines are preferentially detected during the acute phase of syngeneic GVHD, whereas type 2 cytokines dominate during the chronic phase. The results suggest that acute and chronic syngeneic GVHD is mediated by distinct autoreactive T cells, which are separated by their fine specificity for the CLIP-MHC class II complex and by their cytokine profiles.

Augmentation of wound healing using monochromatic infrared energy. Exploration of a new technology for wound management.

The results presented in this paper document healing of different types of extremity wounds with 890 nanometer (nm) monochromatic infrared energy. Recalcitrant dermal lesions, including venous ulcers, diabetic ulcers, and a wound related to scleroderma, were treated with a Food and Drug Administration-cleared infrared device. The infrared protocol was instituted after conventional management protocols were shown to be ineffective. The rate and quality of healing of these previously refractory wounds, following use of monochromatic infrared energy, may be related to local increases in nitric oxide concentration. Increases in nitric oxide previously have been demonstrated to correlate with vasodilatory and anabolic responses. Further research is needed to confirm the results found in these patients.

The Biomet Total Toe System utilizing the Koenig score: a five-year review.

The two-component, durable first metatarsophalangeal joint implant has a 5-year history of clinical use. Unique for having plantar condyles, the Total Toe System is fully weightbearing, thus functional. A new scoring system, the Koenig Score, is introduced and applied to the Biomet Total Toe System to demonstrate the success of this implant postoperatively.

Extrahepatic synthesis of C6 in the rat is sufficient for complement-mediated hyperacute rejection of a guinea pig cardiac xenograft.

The liver is the major source of complement (C) components, but extrahepatic sources of C, such as macrophages and endothelial cells, have been hypothesized to contribute to inflammation. Our experiments demonstrate that extrahepatically produced C6 can contribute to hyperacute rejection. PVG (RT1c) rats with normal C activity (PVG (C+)) reject guinea pig cardiac xenografts in 0.5 +/- 0.2 hr, but fully C6-deficient PVG (RT1c) rats (PVG (C-)) reject guinea pig cardiac xenografts in 45 +/- 9 hr. PVG (C+) rats, which received liver transplants from PVG (C-) rats and retained all extrahepatic sources of C6, rejected guinea pig cardiac xenografts in 0.6 +/- 0.03 hr (n = 3). PVG (C-) rats, which received bone marrow transplants from PVG (C+) rats, had C6 levels restored to 10% of that of the donor and rejected guinea pig cardiac xenografts in 9 +/- 3.2 hr (n = 5). Thus, extrahepatic sources of C6 can contribute to xenograft rejection.

Characterization of the autoreactive T cell repertoire in cyclosporin-induced syngeneic graft-versus-host disease. A highly conserved repertoire mediates autoaggression.

Syngeneic graft-vs-host disease (SGVHD) is a MHC class II-restricted T cell-mediated autoimmune syndrome that occurs following syngeneic bone marrow transplantation and the administration of cyclosporin (CsA). The present studies evaluated the V beta repertoire of T lymphocytes that mediate SGVHD. To facilitate analysis, SGVHD effector cells were adoptively transferred into thymectomized syngeneic recipients reconstituted with T cell-depleted bone marrow to provide an environment that allows for the selective clonal expansion of autoreactive T cells. Analysis of target tissues and PBL by reverse transcriptase PCR using oligonucleotide V beta-specific primers revealed a predominance of V beta 8.5+ T cells and a minor population expressing V beta 10. The majority of infiltrating lymphocytes in target tissues was confirmed to be V beta 8.5+ by in situ hybridization and by immunoperoxidase staining. A small population of V beta 10+ cells could also be detected. Furthermore, SGVHD effector T splenocytes depleted of lymphocytes expressing either the TCR-alpha beta or the V beta 8.5 determinant could not adoptively transfer SGVHD. Depletion of T cells expressing the V beta 10 determinant delayed the onset of this autoaggression syndrome. Subset analysis of the autoreactive T cell compartment revealed that the V beta 8.5 determinant was expressed on both CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes whereas the V beta 10 determinant was principally expressed on a minor population of CD4+ autoreactive T cells. These data were confirmed by limiting dilution analysis. Additional studies examining the effect of CsA on thymic differentiation revealed that although V beta 8.5 is not normally clonally deleted, there was a pronounced shift in the expression of this determinant between CD4 and CD8 single positive thymocytes, suggesting that CsA may inhibit normal positive selection processes for MHC class I and class II reactive T cells.

Hepatic and extrahepatic biosynthesis of complement factor C6 in the rat.

The relative contributions of liver and bone marrow (BM) constituents to systemic C6 production were compared in a rat model. Liver grafts were transplanted from C6-sufficient PVG (RT1c) rats (PVG (C+)) to profoundly C6-deficient PVG rats (PVG (C-)). C6 levels were restored to 32% within 24 h and reached more than 80% of that of the PVG (C+) donor within 7 days post-grafting, which indicates that the liver is a primary source of systemic C6 production. When livers were transplanted from PVG (C-) to PVG (C+) rats (n = 3), levels of C6 dropped to 42% of pretransplant levels within 24 h and remained between 30 and 40% for more than 100 days after grafting. To determine the source of extrahepatic C6 production, BM was transplanted from PVG (C+) to PVG (C-) rats after total body irradiation. Levels of C6 increased from undetectable levels to 5% of C6 levels of the donor PVG (C+) rat within 60 days. Replenishing PVG (C-) recipients with BM after treatment of recipients with busulfan, which preferentially allows reconstitution with donor myelomonocyte stem cells, resulted in restoration of C activity. Treatment with cyclophosphamide before BM transplantation, which preferentially allows reconstitution of lymphoid stem cells, did not restore hemolytic C activity in PVG (C-) rats. These results were confirmed directly by the successful restoration of C activity with BM depleted of lymphocytes by counterflow centrifugal elutriation from PVG (C+) rats. These in vivo experiments demonstrate that the liver is a primary, but not the sole, source of C6 in the rat and that extrahepatic sources, such as myelomonocytes, and not lymphoid cells in the BM produce a significant amount of systemic C6 in the rat.

Cyclosporine-induced syngeneic graft-vs-host disease: prevention of autoaggression by treatment with monoclonal antibodies to T lymphocyte cell surface determinants and to MHC class II antigens.

Administration of cyclosporine (CsA) following syngeneic/autologous bone marrow transplantation (BMT) elicits a T lymphocyte-dependent autoimmune disease resembling graft-vs-host disease (syngeneic GVHD). This autoaggression syndrome appears to be due to the autorecognition of self-MHC class II antigens by CD8+ cytolytic T cells and a CD4+ autoreactive T cell subset. The syngeneic GVHD model was used to assess the effectiveness of treatment with monoclonal antibodies to the alpha/beta T cell receptor (TCR) and the CD4 or CD8 determinants on the prevention of autoimmune disease. Nylon wool nonadherent splenic T cells (50 x 10(6)) from Lewis strain rats with active syngeneic GVHD were adoptively transferred into irradiated (1050 rad syngeneic recipients reconstituted with normal marrow (60 x 10(6) cells). Monoclonal antibody (McAb) to the alpha/beta TCR, the CD4 determinant, or the CD8 determinant was administered to secondary recipients on Days 0, 3, 6, 9, and 12 at a dose of 0.1 ml of ascites fluid. Control animals received normal mouse serum on the same schedule. Animals treated with either saline or normal mouse serum developed syngeneic GVHD within 16-20 days. Comparatively, syngeneic GVHD developed much later in the secondary recipients treated with anti-CD4 McAb (onset of syngeneic GVHD, 28-32 days) and was less severe compared to the control group. On the other hand, the recipients treated with McAb's to the alpha/beta TCR or to the CD8 determinant did not develop syngeneic GVHD (monitored over 10 weeks post-therapy). Peripheral blood lymphocytes from these recipients also were analyzed for T cell subsets by phenotypic analysis. There was a pronounced reduction of the total number of cells expressing the alpha/beta TCR and the CD8 determinant after treatment of the recipients with the McAb's to the alpha/beta TCR and to the CD8 determinant, respectively. Recovery to normal levels began to occur 6 weeks after the last dose of McAb. There was a significant reduction of the CD4+ subset after treatment with anti-CD4 McAb, but it was not long lasting with recovery coinciding with the onset of syngeneic GVHD. Studies were also performed to evaluate McAb therapy of established syngeneic GVHD. The McAb's were found to be largely ineffective due in part to pulmonary toxicity. Furthermore, this model was utilized to evaluate the efficacy of treatment with McAb to the target antigen of syngeneic GVHD. Infusion of McAb to a public determinant on class II MHC molecules prevented or significantly delayed the onset of syngeneic GVHD after adoptive transfer of effector cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Elutriation of bone marrow delineates two distinct natural suppressor cell populations.

It appears that part of the confusion surrounding the lineage of NS cells could be due, in part, to the presence of more than one cell population in normal BM. Whether other cell populations exist in other organ compartments, or can be induced, is presently unknown. This is of particular interest in allogeneic BMT where various lymphocyte depletion techniques have been employed to reduce the incidence of AGVHD. When CCE is used for depletion, the NS lymphocyte component is entirely removed. Since the incidence of AGVHD is significantly reduced with CCE lymphocyte-depleted rat and human BM, it appears that this subpopulation need not be present to abrogate AGVHD. Quite surprisingly, preliminary studies in rats indicates that this lymphocyte subpopulation may actually induce acute syngeneic GVHD (Fischer et al., 1989). That a cell(s) in the clonogenic compartment has the ability to suppress or down-regulate a variety of immune responses is not altogether surprising. This cell is better thought of as an auto-regulatory cell which has the ability to control the cellular interactions in its immediate micro-environment. Indeed, R/O NSCA can be augmented by GM-CSF, IL-3, and CsA (NoGa et al., 1988a). In vitro, this cell differentiates into the mono-myeloid series using a variety of stimulatory agents and can acquire tumoricidal activity. The ability to express NSCA is lost however, being present only during a brief window of early maturation. Only IL-3 can sustain NSCA in culture.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Characterization of the natural suppressor cell population in adult rat bone marrow.

Natural suppressor cell activity (NSCA) has been ascribed to a subset of cells present in human and murine hematopoietic tissues which can suppress a variety of lymphocyte responses without MHC restriction. We investigated NSCA in lymphocyte-depleted rat bone marrow (BM) which is used as a model for prevention of graft vs host disease (GVHD) following allogeneic BM transplantation (BMT). The T-cell depleted fraction obtained after elutriation contained higher levels of NSCA than the unseparated BM. Further separation of this graft fraction by discontinuous Percoll gradient centrifugation revealed high levels of radiosensitive NSCA in the low density (less than 1.070) fraction which represented 0.5% of the original BM population. These cells were of blast morphology, stained intensely with a dansylated derivative of cyclosporine A (dans CsA) and weakly expressed macrophage/granulocyte antigens and non-specific esterase (NSE). These cells were initially non-adherent but proliferated in culture to produce intensely NSE positive, adherent, phagocytic cells of macrophage morphology. We conclude that the highly suppressive, radiosensitive cell present in rat BM may be of early progenitor or monocyte lineage. The grafting of natural suppressor (NS) cells and progenitor cells may affect graft/host immunoregulation and their characterization may provide insight into GVH biology and graft rejection.

Verrucae plantaris--effective treatment with bleomycin: review of the literature and case presentations.

Single and multiple verrucous plantaris lesions are well known for their resistance to conservative methods of treatment. In an effort to destroy verrucous growth, the authors have attempted to alter the genetic structure of these obstinate, benign warty lesions by using the antibiotic, bleomycin sulfate. This study provides a review of the medical literature and presents the intralesional injection technique of 0.1% bleomycin into the wart tissue itself. The impressive and significant success rate for complete resolution of verrucous lesions without subsequent scarring has shown this approach to be an effective treatment for plantar warts.