Apoptosis and autophagy in involuting bovine mammary gland is accompanied by up-regulation of TGF-beta1 and suppression of somatotropic pathway.

Regulation of mammary gland remodeling during the lactation cycle in cattle still remains unclear. The present study focused on the role of TGF-beta1 and somatotropic pathways proteins in control of the switch between survival and death of bovine mammary epithelial cells (MEC). Expressions of TGF-beta1, TGF-betaRII, IGF-IRalpha, IGF-IRbeta, GH-R, IGFBP-3, -4, and -5 in mammary tissue explants in Holstein-Fresian heifers (n = 7) and cows (n = 23) in early lactation (1-100 day), late lactation (200-260 day) and drying off (280-340 day) were compared with biochemical indices of apoptosis (caspase 3, 89 kDa fragment of PARP) and autophagy (Beclin1). The results revealed that an increase in apoptosis during the dry period was accompanied by highly significant increases in TGF-beta1 and TGF-betaRII expression. Beside biochemical markers, typical morphological features of apoptosis, such as cell shrinkage, separation from the neighboring cells and condensation of chromatin were observed. TGF-beta1 expression and induction of apoptosis was facilitated by the suppression of somatotropic pathway during drying off, manifested with down-regulation of GH-R and IGF-IRalpha, and up-regulation of IGFBP-4 and -5. This is the first report describing autophagy in the bovine mammary gland. Similarly to apoptosis, the intensity of autophagy was the highest in the dry period, as shown by increased expression of Beclin1 and morphological features, e.g. autophagosomes, autophagic vacuoles. Autophagy observed in the involuting mammary tissue could be the natural cell defense against transient undernourishment and action of apoptogenic peptides (e.g. TGF-beta1, IGFBPs), thus maintaining cellular homeostasis in the dry period.

Immunohistochemical analysis of bFGF, TGF-beta1 and catalase in rectus abdominis muscle from cattle foetuses at 180 and 260 days post-conception.

The potential for muscle growth depends on myoblast proliferation, which occurs essentially during the first two thirds of the foetal period in cattle. Thereafter, myofibres acquire their contractile and metabolic properties. Proliferation is regulated by molecular growth factors and by the tissue oxidative activity. The aim of this study was the quantification by immunochemistry of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-beta1) and also of enzyme catalase (CAT) activity in rectus abdominis muscle. Samples were collected from cattle foetuses of different growth potential at 180 and 260 days post-conception (dpc). One major conclusion from this work is that protein contents of the muscle tissue bFGF and, to a lower extent, CAT activity decreased with increasing age during the foetal life. No differences were found between the different genotypes of cattle. However, the CAT to bFGF ratio tended to be lower in fast-growing cattle and increased with foetal age. TGF-beta1 did not change with age and was localised mostly at the vascular bed. CAT was detected in smooth and rough reticulum in striated muscles at 180dpc, and additionally in mitochondria at 260dpc. In conclusion, the balance between intracellular growth factors (bFGF and TGF-beta1) and the activity of antioxidant enzyme CAT may participate in the regulation of the transition from myoblast proliferation to differentiation. Thus, increased ratio of CAT to bFGF might be a good index indicating initiation of muscle maturation in cattle foetus prior to birth.

A novel embedment-free immunoelectron microscopy technique reveals association of apoptosis-regulating proteins with subcellular structures.

By employing two electron microscopy techniques, postembedding double- and triple immunocytochemical gold-labelling combined with embedment-free electron microscopy (EF-EM), we have detected previously unreported nuclear and cytoplasmic complexes between different proapoptatic proteins in a human cancer cell line COLO 205 stimulated to apoptosis by nimesulide, a specific cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor. Experiments with the use of double- and triple immunolabelling visualized the colocalization of proapoptotic proteins such as Bax with Bid, Bax with Bid and voltage-dependent anion channel protein (VDAC-1), and Bax with Bid and caspase-8, on organellar membranes and within the nucleus. Application of this technique in combination with EF-EM technique augments our knowledge on the precise identification and relationship of subcellular structures containing Bax, Bid, VDAC-1 and caspase-8.

Expression of apoptosis-related proteins in involuting mammary gland of sow.

The expression of apoptosis-related proteins: TGF-beta1 (local inductor), TGF-beta-receptor, Bax (promoter), Bcl-2 (inhibitor) and CPP-32 (executor of apoptosis); the subcellular distribution of Bax; as well as the number and morphology of apoptotic cells in low-, moderate-, and high-involuted mammary glands of sow (four to six days after weaning) were investigated. The immunohistochemical study demonstrated a statistically significant increase in the integrated optical density (IOD) of lobuloalveolar mammary tissue labelling with anti-Bax antibody from low- through moderate-, to high-involuted glands. The immunoelectron microscopy revealed that Bax was localised in the cytosol, on the membranes of mitochondrium and rough endoplasmic reticulum, in nuclear envelope pores, and over heterochromatin of mammary epithelial cells. The increase in Bax/Bcl-2 ratio (2.3, 2.6 and 5.6 for low-, moderate-, and high-involuted glands, respectively) indicated the increasing susceptibility of mammary epithelial cells to apoptosis in the course of involution. The highest Bax/Bcl-2 ratio in high-involuted glands coincided with the highest expression of CPP-32 (caspase 3), TGF-beta1 and TGF-beta1 receptor. The number of apoptotic cells (simultaneous TUNEL and Hoechst 33342 staining) was 2.7, 3.4 and 3.8% for low-, moderate-, and high-involuted glands, respectively. The ultrastructural evaluation showed characteristic morphological features of apoptosis such as: margination and condensation of chromatin; pyknosis and fragmentation of the nucleus; and formation of apoptotic bodies. Phagocytosis of apoptotic cells by macrophages was also documented. The results of the present study suggest the involvement of Bax/Bcl-2 check-point in the regulation, CPP-32 in the execution, but TGF-beta1 in the induction of apoptosis of mammary epithelial cells in the involuting mammary gland of sow.

Expression of apoptosis-related proteins in mammary gland of goat.

The expression of apoptosis-related proteins: TGF-beta1 (auto/paracrine inducer) and its receptor (TGF-betaRIII), Bax (promoter), Bcl-2 (inhibitor) and CPP-32 (executor of apoptosis) as well as the apoptotic cell number in mammary glands of 11 Polish White Improved goats in the course of the lactation cycle (peak of lactation: days 40-70, late lactation: days 208-256, drying off: days 267-340) was investigated. The immunohistochemical study demonstrated a significant increase in TGF-beta1 and TGF-betaRIII expression in the lobuloalveolar tissue from the early lactation to the dry period. Our recent study on HC11 mouse mammary epithelial cells [Cell. Mol. Biol. 46 (2000) 175] has revealed an inhibitory effect of prolactin on TGF-beta1 transcription, which may explain the low TGF-beta1 synthesis during lactogenesis and galactopoiesis and the increase in TGF-beta1 and TGF-betaIIIR expression in late lactation and dry period. Bax expression was the lowest in the peak of lactation, significantly increased in late lactation and remained elevated during drying off. Bcl-2 content was lower than Bax in all examined periods, but it increased significantly at the end of lactation, which suggests the survival of cells with the highest resistance to apoptogenic stimuli. The increase in Bcl-2 level in remnant lobuloalveolar tissue is probably the molecular mechanism that limits the rate of secretory tissue involution. The induction of CPP-32 (caspase 3) from the peak of lactation to dry period was accompanied by a progressive loss of mammary epithelial cells and the increase in apoptotic cell numbers but only in the dry period. The increase in the expression of examined proteins in the late lactation and the dry period indicates their involvement in the induction (TGF-beta1 and TGF-betaRIII), regulation (Bax and Bcl-2) and execution (CPP-32) of programmed cell death in the course of mammary gland involution. The lack of an increase in apoptotic cell number in late lactation, in spite of the evident decrease in total cell number, suggests milk as an alternative route (apart from phagocytosis) of apoptotic cells elimination from the mammary gland. The presented results provide new insights into the molecular mechanism of mammary cell apoptosis in goat and for this reason may have practical implications for control and regulation of mammary gland remodelling, which is a prerequisite for subsequent successful lactation.

Skin allografts--lymph veiled (dendritic) cells are responsible for initiation of rejection in canine skin/SCID mouse chimera model.

Skin allografts are acutely rejected despite of intensive immunosuppressive therapy. Resistance of skin dendritic cells to immunosuppressive drugs and irradiation may be responsible for this phenomenon. Skin allograft is a site of interaction between the dendritic cells and lymphocytes of the donor and host origin and "direct" and "indirect" pathway of antigen presentation. Increasing evidence supports the significant role for the "indirect" allorecognition in graft rejection. To investigate a critical role of skin dendritic cells in the "indirect" allorecognition and graft destruction we have used a canine skin to severe-combined-immunodeficient (SCID)-mice transplantation model. At the time the skin grafts were deprived of own dendritic (Langerhans) cells, SCID mice were reconstituted with allogeneic canine whole lymph leukocytes, lymph lymphocytes, lymph veiled (dendritic) cells or peripheral blood mononuclear cells, and an early phase of skin rejection was evaluated in histopathological studies. We demonstrated that circulating canine allogeneic veiled cells facilitate recruitment of T lymphocytes into skin graft and promote an extensive graft destruction, compared to the less expressed effect of allogeneic peripheral lymph lymphocytes or blood mononuclear cells. These drug and radiation-resistant dendritic cells may be responsible for initiation of the difficult to control rejection process.

Reactivity of antibodies directed against human antigens with surface markers on canine leukocytes.

A panel of anti-human antibodies was used in order to investigate their cross-reactivity with canine leukocytes. The labeling was carried out at the microscopic level by immunocytochemical staining. Of 50 antibodies 22 cross-reacted with canine leukocytes from afferent lymph and peripheral blood. All leukocytes reacted with MHM23 (CD18). Two anti-HLA DR antibodies, DK22 and L243, reacted mostly with veiled cells and with PHA-stimulated lymphocytes, whereas TAL1B5 was cross-reactive with all canine lymphocytes. The activation markers CD25, Ki-67, PCNA were identified on PHA-stimulated lymphocytes with ACT1, Ki-67 and PC10 clone produced antibodies. Canine eosinophils reacted with MHM6 (CD23) antibody. A large number of antibodies reacted with canine lymph veiled cells. Canine granulocytes and a subset of lymphocytes were stained with the anti-CD15 antibody only after treatment of cytospins with neuraminidase.

Liver sinusoidal lymphocytes: their immune functions.

Recent studies strongly suggest that the liver plays an important immunoregulatory role. Evidence of its role in general immune responsiveness originates from observation that, in recipients of liver grafts, the survival of other allografts is significantly prolonged. The question arises as to which blood lymphocyte subsets, most likely to be responsible for this phenomenon, marginate in liver sinusoids. To study this problem, a liver ex vivo perfusion model was designed for rats. In situ W/WAG livers were washed clear of sinusoidal marginating cells prior to and after 1 h perfusion with syngeneic blood. The number of blood cells retained in liver sinusoids, their phenotypes, the responsiveness to mitogen (PHA, 90 micrograms/ ml) and cytotoxicity against YAC-1 tumour cells were examined. Our studies showed that rat liver retains in the sinusoids a population of blood cells, enriched in NK, CD8+ and MHC class II+ cells, displaying a high cytotoxic activity and low responsiveness to mitogen stimulation, with a capacity of about 10(6) cells/g of tissue.

Cytokines and adherence molecules involved in spontaneous dendritic cell-lymphocyte clustering in skin afferent lymph.

The skin afferent lymph dendritic cell (DC) spontaneously forms clusters with autologous T cells. The role of adhesion molecules and cytokines in this process was investigated. Analysis of the expression of adhesion receptors on the canine peripheral lymph DC revealed the presence of CD54, CD58, CD18 as well as CD49d and CD49e molecules and cell surface fibronectin. The CD54 and CD58 molecules were found to play a key role in the 'spontaneous' lymph cell clustering. Antibody against fibronectin, a substrate for CD49d and CD49e receptors, reduced DC-lymphocyte binding. Analysis of the effect of cytokines revealed that the pro-inflammatory IL1 beta rather than IL1 alpha, and TNF alpha may be responsible for the enhanced lymph cell in vitro clustering. The IL6 had no such augmenting effect. The enhancing effect of endogenous IL1 beta present in lymph was reduced by the IL1 beta neutralizing antibody. The effect of exogenously added IL1 beta was also limited by the IL1 receptor antagonist. The IL1Ra alone had no effect on cell binding, even when used in the high doses. Neutralizing of IL1Ra in lymph with the specific antibody brought about augmented cluster formation. The enhancing properties of TNF alpha on cell binding were reduced by the TNF alpha neutralizing antibody. The IL10 significantly limited lymph DC cluster formation with T cells. In conclusion, these data demonstrate that the present in lymph IL1 beta and TNF alpha may be responsible for the observed in vitro enhanced cluster formation of lymph DC with autologous T lymphocytes. Cell binding can be reduced by IL1Ra and by IL10. It provides insight into the potential clinical use of these inhibitors.