Dopaminergic Immunofluorescence Studies in Kidney Tissue.

The kidney is a highly integrated system of specialized differentiated cells that are responsible for fluid and electrolyte balance in the body. While much of today's research focuses on isolated nephron segments or cells from nephron segments grown in tissue culture, an often overlooked technique that can provide a unique view of many cell types in the kidney is slice culture. Here, we describe techniques that use freshly excised kidney tissue from rats to perform a variety of experiments shortly after isolating the tissue. By slicing the rat kidney in a "bread loaf" format, multiple studies can be performed on slices from the same tissue in parallel. Cryosectioning and staining of the tissue allow for the evaluation of physiological or biochemical responses in a wide variety of specific nephron segments. The procedures described within this chapter can also be extended to human or mouse kidney tissue.

Biomechanical coupling in renin-releasing cells.

The renin-angiotensin system is a major regulatory system controlling extracellular fluid volume and blood pressure. The rate-limiting enzyme in this hormonal cascade is renin, which is synthesized and secreted into the circulation by renal juxtaglomerular (JG) cells. The renal baroreceptor is a key physiologic regulator of renin secretion, whereby a change in renal perfusion pressure is sensed by these cells and results in a change in renin release. However, the mechanism, direct or indirect, underlying pressure transduction is unknown. We studied the direct application of mechanical stretch to rat JG cells and human renin-expressing (CaLu-6) cells on the release of renin. JG cells released a low level of baseline renin, comprising < 5% of their total renin content. By contrast, renin secretion from CaLu-6 cells comprised approximately 30% of cellular stores, yet was also stimulated twofold by 10 microM forskolin (P

Cytokine expression from bone marrow derived macrophages.

Monocytes and macrophages show marked phenotypic variation dependent on their tissue of origin. Peripheral blood monocytes have been found to be sources of a variety of cytokines, but isolated marrow macrophages have not been characterized in this regard. Marrow macrophages form a predominant component of murine adherent Dexter stromal cells and can be isolated by sequential explant culture in colony-stimulating factor-1 (CSF-1). We have studied murine (Balb/c) bone marrow macrophage (BMM) cytokine production in the presence or absence of CSF-1, the lectin pokeweed mitogen (PWM) or interleukin-3 (IL-3). Biologic activity in conditioned media (cm) from control and induced BMM was assessed using the factor-dependent cell lines 32D, NFS-60, T1165, MC-6 and FDC-P1. Cell line stimulation and antibody blocking indicated the presence of c-kit ligand, interleukin-6 (IL-6) and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF). This stimulatory activity was increased by exposure to PWM or the combination of CSF-1 and PWM or CSF-1 and IL-3. CSF-1, as determined by radioimmunoassay (RIA), was essentially undetectable in baseline cm and induction was not seen with PWM or CSF-1. Baseline or "constitutive" expression of BMM and mRNA for CSF-1 and c-kit ligand was seen. Uninduced BMM did not express mRNA for G-CSF, granulocyte-macrophage CSF (GM-CSF), IL-6 or IL-3. CSF-1 induced increased expression of IL-6 mRNA, PWM induced increased expression of G-CSF and IL-6 mRNA and the combination of PWM and CSF-1 induced expression of CSF-1, G-CSF and IL-6 mRNA. Varying levels of CSF-1 had differential effects on cytokine production. Increasing levels of CSF-1 increased IL-6 mRNA and downmodulated CSF-1 mRNA expression. There was a biphasic response of c-kit ligand mRNA expression to CSF-1 exposure; low levels of CSF-1 (50 U/mL) induced, while higher levels (2000 U/mL) inhibited, expression. These data indicate that BMM (and by analogy the macrophage component of Dexter culture stroma), are important sources of CSF-1 and c-kit ligand but not GM-CSF or IL-3. BMM can also be induced to express IL-6 and/or G-CSF. Lastly, CSF-1, by differentially modulating BMM cytokine production in a holocrine or autocrine manner, may function as a central regulator of stromal based hematopoiesis.

Stem cell factor induction of in vitro murine hematopoietic colony formation by "subliminal" cytokine combinations: the role of "anchor factors".

The high levels of hematopoietic growth factors required for in vitro and in vivo activity raise questions as to their role in normal hematopoietic maintenance. We hypothesize that the use of combinations of cytokines to stimulate hematopoietic progenitors might allow individual factors to exert their influence at lower, more physiologically relevant concentrations. Growth factor combinations were assessed by their ability to stimulate both total colonies and high proliferative potential colony-forming cells (HPP-CFC), an early murine hematopoietic progenitor, in double-layer agar cultures. Very-low-level combinations of colony-stimulating factor (CSF)-1, granulocyte CSF (G-CSF), granulocyte-macrophage CSF (GM-CSF), interleukin (IL)-1 alpha, and IL-3 had little or no clonogenic capacity. Plateau levels of rr stem cell factor (rrSCF), a c-kit ligand, used alone also had negligible clonogenic capacity, but when combined with the low-level combination of the other five factors produced total colony and HPP-CFC growth approaching that produced by all factors at plateau levels. Delayed addition experiments suggest that this effect may represent sequential activity of SCF and the other factors. We propose a model of the normal hematopoietic microenvironment in which SCF at locally high concentration on the stromal cell surface "anchors" the hematopoietic stem cell's response to multiple other cytokines at physiologically relevant levels.

Lithium stimulation of HPP-CFC and stromal growth factor production in murine Dexter culture.

We have previously reported that the addition of lithium chloride (LiCl) to murine Dexter cultures results in increased numbers of progenitor and mature hematopoietic cells of the granulocyte, macrophage, and megakaryocyte lineages. We now report the effect of various levels of LiCl on the high proliferative potential colony-forming cell (HPP-CFC) in Dexter culture and on the induction of growth factors from Dexter stromal cells. LiCl (4 mEq/L) stimulated supernatant HPP-CFC for the first 4 weeks of culture (150-275%), and stimulated stromal HPP-CFC at week 3 (170-222%). Higher levels of lithium (8 and 12 mEq/L) selectively stimulated supernatant HPP-CFC, macrophage, and eosinophil production, whereas granulocytes and granulocyte-macrophage colony-forming cells (CFU-C) were inhibited. mRNA expression was evaluated from week 4 Dexter cultures that received a pulse or continuous exposure to lithium and had received either 0 or 1,100 cGy irradiation. Four mEq/L LiCl stimulated increased expression of G-CSF, GM-CSF, IL-6, and, in the nonirradiated stroma continuously exposed to lithium, CSF-1 mRNA. In general, the higher levels of lithium stimulated increased mRNA expression for these same growth factors. mRNA for the recently described Steel factor was decreased with increasing levels of lithium added to either normal or irradiated stroma. Bioassays of conditioned medium (cm) from irradiated cultures against the FDC-P1 and T1165 cell lines indicated cytokine activity, which was blocked by antibodies to GM-CSF and IL-6, respectively. Altogether these data show that lithium stimulates Dexter HPP-CFC, and this stimulation appears to be mediated by multiple growth factors that are induced from stromal cells.

Multifactor stimulation of megakaryocytopoiesis: effects of interleukin 6.

We have previously demonstrated that interleukin 3 (IL-3), granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) stimulate various aspects of megakaryocytopoiesis. We have investigated the capacity of interleukin 6 (IL-6) to stimulate megakaryocyte colony formation from both normal Balb/C marrow and light-density marrow extensively depleted of adherent, pre-B, B and T cells. Human recombinant IL-6 (167 ng/ml) stimulated megakaryocyte colony formation from normal marrow (8.6 +/- 1 megakaryocyte colony-forming units [CFU-meg]/10(5) cells) as compared to control (1.5 +/- 4 CFU-meg/10(5) cells) in 16 determinations (p less than 0.01). IL-6 (167 ng/ml) also stimulated CFU-meg formation from depleted marrow (control, 10.8 +/- 4 CFU-meg/10(5) cells versus IL-6, 68 +/- 19 CFU-meg/10(5) cells in 12 determinations, p less than 0.01). IL-6 synergistically augmented IL-3-induced colony formation (139% IL-3 control, 120% calculated IL-3 plus IL-6 control, n = 11, p less than 0.01) in normal marrow and showed an additive effect in depleted marrow (133% IL-3 control, p less than 0.01, 114% of IL-3 plus IL-6, value not significant [NS] at 0.05 level). Studies with recombinant murine IL-6 gave similar results. There was an increasing level of megakaryocyte colony-stimulating activity from G-CSF (16,667 U/ml, 2.47 +/- 0.6 CFU-meg/10(5) cells, n = 17), to IL-6 (167 ng/ml, 8.47 +/- 0.96 CFU-meg/10(5) cells, n = 19), to GM-CSF (52 U/ml, 23 +/- 4 CFU-meg/10(5) cells, n = 14), to IL-3 (167 U/ml, 48 +/- 5 CFU-meg/10(5) cells, n = 20) as compared to media-stimulated marrow (range 1.29-1.86 CFU-meg/10(5) cells). A similar hierarchy was seen with depleted marrow. Combinations of factors (including IL-3, GM-CSF, G-CSF, and IL-6) tested against normal unseparated murine marrow did not further augment CFU-meg numbers over IL-3 plus IL-6 but did increase colony size. These data suggest that IL-6 is an important megakaryocyte regulator, that at least four growth factors interact synergistically or additively to regulate megakaryocytopoiesis, and that combinations of growth factors, possibly in physical association, might be critical in stimulating megakaryocyte stem cells.

Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor augments in vitro megakaryocyte colony formation by interleukin-3.

Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) has been purified to homogeneity and the cDNA isolated. The reported properties of G-CSF have suggested that it is specific for the granulocytic lineage and only forms pure granulocyte colonies in in vitro cultures of murine bone marrow. We have demonstrated in this report that G-CSF augments the effect of interleukin 3 (IL3) on megakaryocyte formation. G-CSF alone had no stimulatory effect on megakaryocyte colony formation, however, the addition of G-CSF to IL3 in cultures of normal murine bone marrow increased the number of megakaryocyte colonies to 176% compared to cultures containing IL3 alone. Also, the combination of G-CSF plus IL3 stimulated the formation of larger megakaryocyte colonies than those formed in cultures of IL3 alone. In contrast, G-CSF had no effect on the number or size of megakaryocyte colonies stimulated by granulocyte-macrophage CSF. These results demonstrate that G-CSF augments the megakaryocyte colony formation of IL3, but not GM-CSF, and expands the lineage potential of G-CSF.

The effect of lithium on growth factor production in long-term bone marrow cultures.

We have previously reported that lithium chloride (LiCl) stimulates the production of granulocyte-macrophage colony-forming cells (GM-CFC), pluripotent stem cells (CFU-S), and differentiated granulocytes, macrophages and megakaryocytes in murine Dexter marrow cultures and that this effect appears to be mediated indirectly by a radioresistant adherent marrow cell. In this study we have established that exposure of murine Dexter cultures to LiCl (4 mEq/L) causes an increase of colony-forming cell megakaryocytes (CFU-meg) over 1 to 6 weeks of culture in both supernatant (188% to 611%) and stromal phases (123% to 246%). Moreover, we have shown that lithium treatment of either irradiated (1,100 rad) or unirradiated stromal cells increased production of activities stimulating formation of megakaryocyte, granulocyte, macrophage, and mixed lineage colonies and proliferation of the factor-dependent cell line, FDC-P1. This FDC-P1 stimulatory activity was completely blocked by an antibody to purified recombinant granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (rGM-CSF). The baseline or lithium-induced--stromal-derived bone marrow colony stimulating activity was partially blocked by the antibody to rGM-CSF and by an antibody to purified colony stimulating factor I (CSF-1); the two antibodies combined resulted in greater than 90% inhibition of the lithium-induced marrow stimulatory activity. In addition, radioimmunoassay (RIA) showed that although CSF-1 was detectable in supernatants of these cultures, exposure to lithium did not increase CSF-1 levels. These data indicate that Dexter stromal cells produce CSF-1 and GM-CSF and that lithium appears to exert its stimulatory effects on in vitro myelopoiesis by inducing production of GM-CSF.

Recombinant murine granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor has megakaryocyte colony-stimulating activity and augments megakaryocyte colony stimulation by interleukin 3.

Recombinant murine granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (rGM-CSF) has been produced in Escherichia coli and purified to homogeneity. GM-CSF has an established role as an in vitro regulator of granulocyte and macrophage colony formation. We have determined that rGM-CSF also has intrinsic activity as a megakaryocyte colony-stimulating factor and that rGM-CSF augments the effect of interleukin 3 (IL-3) on megakaryocyte colony formation. The dose-response curve for megakaryocyte colony induction with rGM-CSF showed plateau megakaryocyte stimulation at 9 ng/ml. When IL-3 (at a plateau dose for megakaryocyte colony induction) was added to rGM-CSF over a 0-22-ng/ml dose range, the resultant megakaryocyte colony stimulation approximated the sum of the levels of stimulation produced by either factor alone. These results establish GM-CSF as a multilineage growth factor with definite megakaryocyte colony-stimulating activity and indicate that both GM-CSF and IL-3 are important in the regulation of megakaryocytopoiesis.

Stromal growth factor production in irradiated lectin exposed long-term murine bone marrow cultures.

Hematopoietic regulatory factors produced by adherent (stromal) cells in long-term murine bone marrow cultures have been investigated. Using an in situ double layer agar overlay system, we demonstrated that exposure of the stromal cells to 1,100-rad irradiation increased their activities in stimulating colony formation of FDC-P1, an interleukin 3 (IL 3)-responsive cell line. The colony-stimulating activities (CSAs) of the irradiated stroma also stimulated normal marrow cells to form granulocyte-macrophage, megakaryocyte, and mixed lineage colonies. Addition of the lectin pokeweed mitogen to the irradiated stroma increased the level of CSAs. The FDC-P1 CSA of the irradiated stroma was inhibited by antibodies directed against murine granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) but not by those against murine IL 3. Stromal-derived CSA for marrow cells was also partially blocked by anti-GM-CSF antibodies, probably reflecting the presence of other CSAs such as CSF-1. This latter growth factor has been found to be present in conditioned media from Dexter stroma, but levels are not increased after irradiation or lectin exposure. Partially purified GM-CSF, like IL 3, stimulated FDC-P1 proliferation and granulocyte, macrophage, and megakaryocyte colony formation. These results indicate that the major terminal differentiating hormone elicited by irradiation or lectin exposure of murine marrow stromal cells is GM-CSF. This growth factor, along with CSF-1, can account for the differentiated progeny produced in this system: macrophages, granulocytes, and megakaryocytes.

Stromal cell regulation of lymphoid and myeloid differentiation.

In vitro microenvironmental influences seem to be critical for both B lymphocyte and myeloid differentiation. Studies on murine Dexter cultures and Whitlock-Witte lymphocyte cultures suggest the presence of two critical stromal regulatory cells: an alkaline-phosphatase-positive epithelioid cell and a macrophage. Further data suggest that these cells are capable of producing colony stimulating factor-1, granulocyte-macrophage CSF, a myeloid synergizing activity, and probably separate B cell growth factors. Isolation of a cell line from Dexter stroma was accomplished and this line produced CSF-1, GM-CSF, a pre-B cell and myeloid synergizing activity, and an activity acting on differentiated B cells. We speculate that the Dexter and Whitlock-Witte in vitro culture systems are regulated by factors produced by the two adherent cell types. A lineage nonspecific factor capable of inducing cells into the B lineage or synergizing with interleukin-3, GM-CSF, and CSF-1 is produced, which presumably acts on early stem cells. In addition, the cell line produces GM-CSF, CSF-1, and a factor acting on differentiated B cells. We speculate that in these culture systems, these "terminal differentiating hormones" regulate the final pathway of differentiation, whereas the pre-B-synergizing activity supports early stem cells that can then respond to the other differentiating hormones.

Effect of adenine nucleotides on granulopoiesis and lithium-induced granulocytosis in long-term bone marrow cultures.

Studies were undertaken to evaluate the role of adenine nucleotides in regulating hematopoiesis using a long-term liquid culture system. In contrast to early investigations using clonogenic stem cell assays, where inhibitory effects were observed, adenosine and adenosine-5'-monophosphate (AMP) were found to stimulate myelopoiesis whereas the dibutyryl derivative of cyclic adenosine-3',5'-monophosphate (dcAMP) had either a modest inhibitory effect or no effect on long-term hematopoiesis. Dose effects for AMP enhancement of hematopoiesis were relatively narrow. When cultures were exposed to a broad range of concentrations (10 mM-10 nM), stimulation was only seen at a molar concentration of 1 X 10(-4) M. Stem cell assays revealed stimulation of multipotent stem cells (CFU-S), as well as committed progenitor cells (CFU-C). Lithium chloride has been shown to cause granulocytosis both in vivo and in vitro. Reductions in intracellular cAMP levels resulting from adenylate cyclase inhibition is a proposed mechanism for this stimulatory effect. However, lithium-induced granulocytosis in long-term cultures could not be blocked by the addition of dcAMP. Measurement of nucleotide levels on spent medium revealed rapid utilization and/or degradation of these reagents. This suggests that failure to abrogate the lithium effect with dcAMP may have been related to the inability to maintain constant intracellular concentrations. The varied observations regarding adenine nucleotide effects on hematopoiesis, as well as the reproducible stimulation by lithium, may be explained by our current appreciation of the complex adenylate cyclase system, which contains both inhibitory and stimulatory subunits for nucleotides and monovalent cations.

Temperature-dependent inhibition of murine granulocyte-monocyte precursors.

The response of nucleated bone marrow cells from C3H mice to hyperthermic temperatures of 41.5 to 49.5 degrees for a fixed heating period of 30 min has been determined. The threshold temperatures for cell lysis, loss of trypan blue exclusion, and histological evidence of cell injury were greater than 49.5 degrees, 45.5 degrees and 43.5 degrees, respectively. Growth of mature granulocyte-monocytes from precursors was evaluated in Millipore diffusion chamber culture. There was a biphasic decrease in granulocyte-monocyte growth after exposure to temperatures of 41.5 to 45.5 degrees. The ratio of granulocytes to monocytes in proliferated cultures was not altered after hyperthermia. Pluripotent and committed granuloid stem cells were assayed by the spleen colony and plasma clot diffusion chamber techniques. These also showed a biphasic decrease with increase in temperature, with committed stem cells having a greater thermal sensitivity at lower temperatures.