Mass spectrometric study on the protein chemical modification of uremic patients in advanced Maillard reaction.

The Maillard reaction, initiated by the nonenzymatic reaction of reducing sugar with protein, is proposed to play a significant role in protein aging and the complications of aging and diabetes. In this study, we detected and quantified some advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) in human serum proteins of control and uremic patients by a highly selective and specific assay, electrospray ionization liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-mass spectrometry (ESI-LC-MS-MS). From our results, levels of each AGEs in serum of uremic patients were significantly elevated, compared to age-matched controls. These results provide the evidence for increased modifications of proteins by Maillard reaction in uremia.

Increase in three alpha,beta-dicarbonyl compound levels in human uremic plasma: specific in vivo determination of intermediates in advanced Maillard reaction.

Methylglyoxal (MGO), glypxal (GO) and 3-deoxyglucosone (3-DG) are reactive alpha,beta-dicarbonyl intermediates in advanced Maillard reaction, which form advanced glycation and oxidation end products (AGEs) by reaction with both lysine and arginine residues in protein. We measured these three dicarbonyl compound levels in human plasma to estimate the relationship between accumulation of alpha, beta-dicarbonyl compounds and AGE formation reactions in uremia and diabetes in human plasma by a highly selective and specific assay, electrospray ionization liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (ESI/LC/MS). We show that 3-DG and MGO levels are significantly higher in uremia and diabetes compared with age-matched healthy controls. Only the GO level in uremic plasma is significantly higher compared to diabetes and healthy controls. In both diabetic and uremic patients, these dicarbonyl compounds promote AGE accumulation in vivo, and especially in uremic patients, increased accumulation of GO could result from accelerating oxidative stress.

Imidazolium crosslinks derived from reaction of lysine with glyoxal and methylglyoxal are increased in serum proteins of uremic patients: evidence for increased oxidative stress in uremia.

Glyoxal (GO) and methylglyoxal (MGO) are reactive dicarbonyl compounds formed during autoxidation of both carbohydrates and lipids. They may react with lysine and arginine residues of proteins in Maillard or browning reactions, yielding advanced glycation or lipoxidation end products. Among these are the imidazolium crosslinks, N,N(-di(N(epsilon)-lysino))imidazolium (glyoxal-lysine dimer, GOLD) and N,N(-di(N(epsilon)-lysino))-4-methyl-imidazolium (methylglyoxal-lysine dimer, MOLD). We have detected and measured GOLD and MOLD in human serum by electrospray ionization/mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (ESI/MS/MS), using 15N4-GOLD and 15N4-MOLD as internal standards. In this report we show that levels of GOLD and MOLD are significantly elevated (3-4-fold, P< 0.01) in sera of non-diabetic uremic patients, compared to age-matched controls, and represent a major class of non-enzymatic, Maillard reaction crosslinks in plasma proteins. These results provide strong evidence for increased non-enzymatic crosslinking of tissue proteins by GO and MGO in uremia, implicating oxidative stress and resultant advanced glycation and lipoxidation reactions in tissue damage in uremia.

Accelerated progression of a murine retrovirus-induced immunodeficiency syndrome in Fas mutant C57BL/6 lpr/lpr mice.

We reported previously that CD4+ T cells and B cells in mice with retrovirus-induced murine acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (MAIDS) caused by LP-BM5 murine leukemia virus (MuLV) mixtures increased the expression of Fas antigen (Fas) during progression of the disease. However, the contribution of the Fas/Fas ligand (Fas L) system to the pathogenesis of MAIDS remained unknown. Here, we examined the susceptibility of C57BL/6 (B6) lpr/lpr mice, which has been reported to be defective for the expression of Fas, to MAIDS. We found that the Thy1.2- CD4T cells and Ig kappa dull B220+ cells, which are characteristic of MAIDS, increased after the inoculation of LP-BM5 MuLV in B6 lpr/lpr mice. B220+ TCR alpha beta T cells, unique to lupus prone mice, also increased in the B6 lpr/lpr mice after infection. CD4+ B220+ TCR alpha beta T cells increased profoundly among the B220+ TCR alpha beta T cells from LP-BM5 MuLV-infected B6 lpr/lpr mice, while the B220+ TCR alpha beta T cells observed in non-infected B6 lpr/lpr mice were largely of the CD4-CD8- phenotype. A DNA PCR analysis of the LP-BM5 MuLV-infected B6 lpr/lpr mice revealed the genome integration of defective LP-BM5 virus, further confirming that MAIDS is inducible to B6 lpr/lpr mice. LP-BM5 MuLV-infected lpr/lpr mice died within 3 months, while MAIDS-infected B6 +/+ mice usually died within 5 to 6 months, and B6 lpr/lpr mice not infected with LP-BM5 MuLV lived more than 6 months. Taken together, these results suggest that MAIDS is inducible independently with functional Fas expression and the possibility of accelerated progression of murine AIDS and lpr-associated autoimmune disease in B6 lpr/lpr mice infected with LP-BM5 MuLV.

Th0-like CD4+ T cells protect mice with murine retrovirus-induced immunodeficiency syndrome (MAIDS) against co-infection with Listeria monocytogenes.

We examined the host defence mechanism against infection with Listeria monocytogenes, a facultative intracellular bacterium, in mice with murine acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (MAIDS) caused by LP-BM5 murine leukaemia virus (MuLv) infection. Although LP-BM5 MuLV infection in C57BL/6 mice leads to a stage of immunodeficiency characterized by severe compromise of cell-mediated immunity, the mice with established MAIDS infected with LP-BM5 8 weeks previously, showed resistance to an intraperitoneal infection with Listeria monocytogenes. These MAIDS mice also showed resistance to a lethal dose of secondary listerial challenge, while the delayed-type hypersensitivity response to heat-killed Listeria (HKL.) was severely impaired in MAIDS mice. The resistance of MAIDS mice to listerial infection was mediated by CD4+ alpha beta T cells but neither by gamma delta T cells nor natural killer (NK) cells. Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) were produced by CD4+ T cells from Listeria-infected MAIDS mice in response to the in vitro stimulation with HKL, whereas IFN-gamma but not IL-10 were produced by those from Listeria-infected control mice. These results suggest that T-helper 0 (Th0)-like immune responses of CD4+ T cells occur and participate in host defence mechanisms against listerial infection in MAIDS mice.

Apoptosis by CD95 (Fas)-dependent and -independent mechanisms in Peyer's patch lymphocytes in murine retrovirus-induced immunodeficiency syndrome.

CD95 (Fas)/CD95 ligand (CD95 L)-mediated apoptosis is thought to be involved in the delayed progression of murine AIDS (MAIDS) induced by LP-BM5 murine leukemia virus (MuLV). We show evidence of apoptosis in lymphocytes of Peyer's patches (PP) at the early stage of MAIDS. Both T and B cells in PP expressed CD95 at the early stage of MAIDS and decreased in number thereafter. The decrease in T cells was not evident in CD95-mutated lpr mice with MAIDS, suggesting that CD95/CD95 L interaction is involved in the apoptosis of T cells in PP during the course of MAIDS. On the other hand, the number of B cells was also decreased in PP of lpr mice with MAIDS. The proliferative ability of B cells in PP of MAIDS mice in response to immunoglobulin M cross-linking or lipopolysaccharide was severely impaired, while the B cells normally proliferated in response to anti-CD40 monoclonal antibody. These findings imply that aberrantly activated B cells in PP undergo apoptosis independently of the CD95/CD95 L system during the course of infection with MAIDS virus.

A protective role of gamma delta T cells in primary infection with Listeria monocytogenes in autoimmune non-obese diabetic mice.

We investigated the host defense mechanism in primary infection with Listeria monocytogenes in non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice at pre-diabetic stage showing an impaired responsiveness of the alpha beta T cells to T-cell receptor (TCR) triggering. The NOD mice showed a deteriorated resistance at the late stage after an intraperitoneal infection with L. monocytogenes compared with BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice as assessed by bacterial growth in organs. Consistent with our previous findings, a prominent increase in number of gamma delta T cells was evident at the early stage after infection, while generation of Listeria-specific alpha beta T cells was impaired in these mice. In vivo administration of anti-TCR gamma delta monoclonal antibody (mAb) allowed L. monocytogenes to grow exaggeratedly in the NOD mice. These results imply that gamma delta T cells may be mainly involved in protection against primary infection with L. monocytogenes in NOD mice.

Lethal shock is inducible by lipopolysaccharide but not by superantigen in mice with retrovirus-induced immunodeficiency syndrome.

The retrovirus-induced murine AIDS (MAIDS) shares many features with human AIDS. Here, we examined the susceptibility of mice with MAIDS to staphylococcal enterotoxin-triggered shock. Following sensitization with D-galactosamine (D-Gal), mice with MAIDS were resistant to the otherwise lethal effect of superantigen staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA). Peak IL-2 levels in these mice after D-Gal/SEA challenge were 10-fold higher than those in uninfected controls, and concurrently, IL-10 levels rose markedly with reduction of circulating IL-1 and IFN-gamma. Treatment with neutralizing anti-IL-10 mAb before D-Gal/SEA challenge led to increased IFN-gamma levels in mice with MAIDS, and resulted in a dose-dependent mortality. In contrast, mice with MAIDS were more susceptible to the toxicity of bacterial endotoxin LPS than were uninfected controls. Administration of 100 micrograms LPS alone induced 50% lethality in mice infected with MAIDS virus 8 wk previously but not in uninfected controls. Administration of 10 micrograms LPS caused acute shock in D-Gal-sensitized mice with MAIDS. Peak TNF-alpha levels in these mice after LPS challenge were increased more than 10-fold, whereas IL-10 levels were one-third of those after SEA challenge. Moreover, serum IFN-gamma was undetectable in uninfected controls and rose to 1063 +/- 483 pg/ml in mice with MAIDS 4 h after LPS challenge. These results suggest that aberrant profiles of cytokine production are crucial in determining fatal outcome in these two types of septic shock in MAIDS.

Clonal expansion but lack of subsequent clonal deletion of bacterial superantigen-reactive T cells in murine retroviral infection.

Several studies have suggested that activation-induced apoptosis of Ag-specific CD4+ T cells leads to depletion of this subset during HIV infection. The bacterial superantigen, staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA), is known to induce activation-induced apoptosis in the TCR V beta-bearing CD4+ T cells in the periphery after clonal expansion of these cells. The murine retroviral model of AIDS (MAIDS), which is induced by LP-BM5 murine leukemia virus, shares many common features with HIV infection in humans, except that CD4+ T cells increase progressively in susceptible strains. In this study, we challenged SEA to MAIDS mice and examined whether this retrovirus affects the fate of the SEA-reactive CD4+ T cells in vivo. At 4 wk post-infection with LP-BM5 murine leukemia virus, clonal expression and subsequent deletion of SEA-reactive CD4+V beta 3+ T cells occurred normally after SEA administration, whereas in vitro proliferative responses were severely impaired. At 8 wk postinfection, the in vivo expansion of CD4+V beta 3+ T cells was evident, but not followed by clonal deletion, as late as 14 days after SEA administration. This expanding subset in the infected mice expressed the Fas Ag in the same amount as the same subset in uninfected controls. These findings suggest that activation-induced apoptosis of superantigen-reactive CD4+ T cells is interfered with in vivo during the course of MAIDS, which is not attributable to underexpression of the Fas Ag by the CD4+ T cells.

Co-stimulation with LFA-1 triggers apoptosis in gamma delta T cells on T cell receptor engagement.

Stimulation of T cells through the T cell receptor (TcR) initiate activation pathways, and paradoxically can also result in activation-induced cell death. Many factors influence a stimulated cell's decision to manifest one or the other. Here we show that co-stimulation with LFA-1 plays a key role in the choice between the two fates, differentiating between alpha beta and gamma delta T cells. Peripheral gamma delta. T cells but not alpha beta T cells undergo apoptosis upon co-cross-linking of TcR and LFA-1 in MRL lpr/lpr mice as well as +/+ mice. Our results suggest that apoptosis of gamma delta T cells is inducible by combined stimuli independent of the Fas-mediated pathway.

A protective role of extrathymic alpha beta TcR cells in the liver in primary murine salmonellosis.

The liver comprises unique T cells differentiating extrathymically and expressing an intermediate intensity of alpha beta T-cell receptor (TcR) and a high intensity of leucocyte function antigen-1 (LFA-1). To elucidate the functional roles of the intermediate alpha beta TcR cells in host defence against bacterial infection, we examined the effects of depletion of the intermediate alpha beta TcR cells by in vivo administration of monoclonal antibodies (mAb) to intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1)/LFA-1 and alpha beta TcR on the bacterial growth in the liver after infection with Salmonella chorelaesuis in mice. Pretreatment with mAb to LFA-1 (200 micrograms/mouse) together with mAb to ICAM-1 (200 micrograms/mouse), which could preferentially deplete the intermediate alpha beta TcR cells and gamma delta TcR cells in the liver, resulted in a severely reduced ability to resolve acute phase of Salmonella infection in the liver. Pretreatment with a low dose of anti-alpha beta TcR mAb (60 micrograms/mouse), which depleted only bright alpha beta TcR cells, did not affect the bacterial growth in the liver at the early stage after Salmonella infection, while the depleting of both intermediate and bright alpha beta TcR cells by pretreatment with a high dose of anti-alpha beta TcR mAb (120 micrograms/mouse) allowed the bacteria to multiply exaggeratedly in the liver at this stage. These results suggest that intermediate alpha beta TcR cells may play an important role in protection at the early stage after Salmonella infection in liver and that the interaction of ICAM-1/LFA-1 is critically involved in protective roles of extrathymic T cells bearing intermediate alpha beta TcR in liver at the early stage after Salmonella infection.