RX871024 reduces NO production but does not protect against pancreatic beta-cell death induced by proinflammatory cytokines

The imidazoline compound RX871024 reduces IL-1beta-induced NO production thereby protecting against IL-1beta-induced beta-cell apoptosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether imidazolines RX871024 and efaroxan protect beta-cells against death in the presence of a combination of the cytokines IL-1beta, IFNgamma, and TNFalpha. To address this issue, experiments involving different methods for detection of cell death, different concentrations of the cytokines, and a variety of conditions of preparation and culturing of ob/ob mouse islets and beta-cells have been carried out. Thoroughly performed experiments have not been able to demonstrate a protective effect of RX871024 and efaroxan on beta-cell death induced by the combination of cytokines. However, the inhibitory effect of RX871024 on NO production in ob/ob mouse islets and beta-cells was still observed in the presence of all three cytokines and correlated with the decrease in p38 MAPK phosphorylation. Conversely, efaroxan did not affect cytokine-induced NO production. Our data indicate that a combination of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1beta, IFNgamma, and TNFalpha, conditions modelling those that take place in type 1 diabetes, induces pancreatic beta-cell death that does not directly correlate with NO production and cannot be counteracted with imidazoline compounds.     

Obesity-associated proinflammatory cytokines increase calcium sensing receptor (CaSR) protein expression in primary human adipocytes and LS14 human adipose cell line

Obesity-associated health complications are thought to be in part due to the low-grade proinflammatory state that characterizes this disease. The calcium sensing receptor (CaSR), which is expressed in human adipose cells, plays an important role in diseases involving inflammation. To assess the relevance of this protein in adipose pathophysiology, we evaluated its expression in adipocytes under obesity-related proinflammatory conditions. As in primary adipose cells, we established that LS14, a recently described human adipose cell line, expresses the CaSR. Differentiated LS14 and primary adipose cells were exposed overnight to cytokines typically involved in obesity-related inflammation (interleukin (IL)1β, IL6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)α). The cytokines increased CaSR abundance in differentiated adipocytes. We incubated LS14 cells with medium previously conditioned (CM) by adipose tissue from subjects with a wide range of body mass index (BMI). Cells exposed to CM from subjects of higher BMI underwent a greater increase in CaSR protein, likely resulting from the greater proinflammatory cytokines secreted from obese tissue. Our observations that proinflammatory factors increase CaSR levels in adipocytes, and the reported ability of CaSR to elevate cytokine levels, open new aspects in the study of obesity inflammatory state pathophysiology, providing a potential novel therapeutic prevention and treatment target.     

Biodegradation of Green HE4B: Co-substrate effect,biotransformation enzymes and metabolite toxicity analysis

A high exhaust reactive dye, Green HE4B (GHE4B) was 98% degraded in nutrient medium by Pseudomonas desmolyticum NCIM 2112 (pd2112) within 72 h at static condition. Decolorization time in synthetic 10 g/l molasses. Addition of 5 g/l peptone to NaCl medium had reduced decolorization time from 108 to 72 h. Beef extract do not contribute more to the inducing effect of peptone, however it is a good co-substrate in sucrose or urea containing NaCl medium. Intracellular lignin peroxidase (Lip), laccase and tyrosinase activities were induced by 150, 355 and 212%, respectively till maximum dye removal took place. Aminopyrine N-demethylase (AND) and dichlorophenol indophenol reductase (DCIP-reductase) activities in pd2112 were induced by 130 and 20%, respectively at 72 h of incubation during GHE4B decolorization. By high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis, 4-hydroxybenzene sulfonic acid and 4-amino, 6-hydroxynaphthalene 2-sulfonic acids were identified as metabolites formed during 24–72 h incubation. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis supports the formation of these aromatic amines. pd2112, aerobically degraded GHE4B metabolites (formed at static condition) showing stationary phase of 6 days. There was no germination inhibition of Sorghum bicolor and Triticum aestivum by GHE4B metabolites at 3,000 ppm concentration however untreated dye showed germination inhibition at the same concentration. GHE4B metabolites did not show any microbial toxicity at 10,000 ppm concentration.     

NRT1.1B improves selenium concentrations in rice grains by facilitating selenomethinone translocation

Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element for humans and other animals, yet approximately one billion people worldwide suffer from Se deficiency. Rice is a staple food for over half of the world's population that is a major dietary source of Se. In paddy soils, rice roots mainly take up selenite. Se speciation analysis indicated that most of the selenite absorbed by rice is predominantly transformed into selenomethinone (SeMet) and retained in roots. However, the mechanism by which SeMet is transported in plants remains largely unknown. In this study, SeMet uptake was found to be an energy‐dependent symport process involving H⁺ transport, with neutral amino acids strongly inhibiting SeMet uptake. We further revealed that NRT1.1B, a member of rice peptide transporter (PTR) family which plays an important role in nitrate uptake and transport in rice, displays SeMet transport activity in yeast and Xenopus oocyte. The uptake rate of SeMet in the roots and its accumulation rate in the shoots of nrt1.1b mutant were significantly repressed. Conversely, the overexpression of NRT1.1B in rice significantly promoted SeMet translocation from roots to shoots, resulting in increased Se concentrations in shoots and rice grains. With vascular‐specific expression of NRT1.1B, the grain Se concentration was 1.83‐fold higher than that of wild type. These results strongly demonstrate that NRT1.1B holds great potential for the improvement of Se concentrations in grains by facilitating SeMet translocation, and the findings provide novel insight into breeding of Se‐enriched rice varieties.     

Release of cytokines/chemokines and cell death in UVB-irradiated human keratinocytes, HaCaT

Ultraviolet (UV) B can lead to inflammatory responses such as sunburn, which involves the production of various inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, and the induction of cell death. Keratinocytes in the skin has one of the highest risks of exposure to UV. However, the detailed mechanisms underlying UVB irradiation-induced inflammation and cell death are not well known. Thus, we investigated the effect of UVB irradiation on the production of various cytokines/chemokines and the induction of cell death in UVB-irradiated human keratinocytes (HaCaT cells). We evaluated 11 cytokines/chemokines in cell culture supernatants from HaCaT cells exposed to 0-400 mJ/cm(2) UVB irradiation. UVB at a dose 400 mJ/cm(2) induced the release of various cytokines; interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-6, IL-8, interferon (IFN)-gamma, granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF), macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1beta, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha. These results suggest that UVB irradiation-induced the release of several cytokines/chemokines and led to cell death in human keratinocytes. UV exposure may be associated with multiple physiological events in the human skin.     

Sickle red cells as danger signals on proinflammatory gene expression,leukotriene B4 and interleukin-1 beta production in peripheral blood mononuclear cell

This study tested the hypothesis that sickle red blood cell (SS-RBC) induce Toll-like receptors (TLR) and Nod-like receptor family, pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3)- inflammasome expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). TLR and NLRP3 inflammasome could contribute to the maintenance of the inflammatory status in sickle cell anemia (SCA) patients, since SS-RBC act as danger signals activating these pathways. In this study, first, we evaluated TLR (2, 4, 5 and 9), NLRP3, Caspase-1, interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-18 expression in PBMC freshly isolated from SCA patients (SS-PBMC) in comparison with PBMC from healthy individuals (AA-PBMC). In the second moment, we investigated whether SS-RBC could interfere with the expression of these molecules in PBMC from healthy donor, in the absence or presence of hydroxyurea (HU) in vitro. TLRs and NLRP3 inflammasome expression were investigated by qPCR. IL-1β, Leukotriene-B4 (LTB₄) and nitrite production were measured in PBMC (from healthy donor) culture supernatants. TLR2, TLR4, TLR5, NLRP3 and IL-1β were highly expressed in SS-PBMC when compared to AA-PBMC. Additionally, SS-RBC induced TLR9, NLRP3, Caspase-1, IL-1β and IL-18 expression and induced IL-1β, LTB₄ and nitrite production in PBMC cultures. HU did not prevent TLR and NLRP3 inflammasome expression, but increased TLR2 and IL-18 expression and reduced nitrite production. In conclusion, our data suggest that TLR and inflammasome complexes may be key inducers of inflammation in SCA patients, probably through SS-RBC; also, HU does not prevent NLRP3 inflammasome- and TLR-dependent inflammation, indicating the need to develop new therapeutic strategies to SCA patients that act with different mechanisms of those observed for HU.     

Coxsackie B4 virus induces short-term changes in the metabolic functions of mouse pancreatic islets in vitro

Mouse pancreatic islets cultured in vitro were infected with a tissue culture-adapted or a mouse pancreas-adapted strain of Coxsackie B4 (CB4) virus. The effects of the viruses on the islets were assessed by examination of their biochemical functions. It was found that the mouse pancreas-adapted strain of CB4 induced a 'leakage' of insulin from islets incubated at a basal (2 mmol l-1) glucose concentration, both at two and four days following infection. However, at a stimulatory concentration of glucose (20 mmol l-1) the rate of insulin secretion appeared to be normal in these islets. At two days the rate of total protein synthesis in islets infected with mouse pancreas-adapted CB4, incubated at high glucose concentration, was reduced; at four days the degree of inhibition was more severe, the rate at basal glucose concentration falling to half that of the control islets and at the stimulatory glucose concentration to a quarter of the control islets. (Pro)insulin biosynthesis was also inhibited, the rate being reduced to less than half the mean control value in islets infected with mouse pancreas-adapted CB4 virus at 20 mmol l-1 glucose at two days; at four days the rate was greatly reduced at both 2 and 20 mmol l-1 glucose. It is concluded from this study that only certain strains of CB4 virus can infect mouse pancreatic islets in vitro and that infection with strains of virus tropic for the islets leads to an impairment of metabolic functions of the B-cells, and is not necessarily lytic.     

Caveolin-1 is essential for glimepiride-induced insulin secretion in the pancreatic betaTC-6 cell line

The K_ATP channels play a pivotal role in the complex mechanism of insulin secretion. K_ATP channels represent the target of sulphonylureas, a class of drugs widely used in type 2 diabetes to stimulate insulin secretion. We previously showed that caveolin-1 depletion impairs action of the sulphonylurea glimepiride in human endothelial cells. The aim of this work was to investigate the possible role of caveolin-1 in glimepiride-induced insulin secretion. Caveolin-1 was depleted using siRNA method in the pancreatic βTC-6 cell line. Then stimulation of insulin secretion was performed with different secretagogues (glucose, KCl, and glimepiride). Here, we show that βTC-6 caveolin-1 depleted cells maintained high rate of insulin secretion after KCl, but not after glucose and glimepiride stimulation. Moreover, we find a direct interaction between caveolin-1 and Kir6.2, one of the K_ATP channel subunit. These results demonstrate that Cav-1 plays a critical role for glucose and sulfonylurea-stimulated insulin secretion.     

Anti-IgM antibody-induced cell death in a human B lymphoma cell line, B104, represents a novel programmed cell death.

We investigated the mechanisms of anti-IgM antibody-induced cell death in a recently established human surface IgM+ IgD+ B lymphoma cell line, B104, the growth of which is irreversibly inhibited by anti-IgM antibody but not by anti-IgD antibody, and compared it with the cell death of T cells via TCR/CD3 complex and with the cell death of a murine anti-IgM antibody-sensitive B lymphoma cell line, WEHI-231. The rapid time course of B104 cell death and its requirements for de novo macromolecular synthesis and Ca2+ influx suggest that anti-IgM antibody-induced B104 cell death is an active Ca(2+)-dependent programmed cell death. Moreover, cyclosporin A rescued B104 cells from this lethal signal, via surface IgM, suggesting that the intracellular mechanisms involved are quite similar to those of T cell death. DNA fragmentation, which has been reported in TCR/CD3 complex-mediated T cell death, apoptosis, was not involved in the B104 cell death process, but the possible involvement of DNA single-strand breaks was suggested. Observations under light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy indicated that the morphologic features of dying B104 cells resembled necrosis rather than apoptosis. B104 cell death was shown to be quite distinct from that of WEHI-231 in cell death kinetics, the mode of cell death, and the response to cyclosporin A. These data collectively indicate that the death of B104 cells resulting from surface IgM cross-linking represents a hitherto undefined mode of programmed cell death.     

Production of proinflammatory cytokines in the human THP-1 monocyte cell line following induction by Tp0751,a recombinant protein of Treponema pallidum

The tissue destruction characteristic of syphilis infection may be caused by inflammation due to Treponema pallidum and the ensuing immune responses to the pathogen.T.pallidum membrane proteins are thought to be potent inducers of inflammation during the early stages of infection.However,the actual membrane proteins that induce inflammatory cytokine production are not known,nor are the molecular mechanisms responsible for triggering and sustaining the inflammatory cascades.In the present study,Tp0751 recombinant protein from T.pallidum was found to induce the production of proinflammatory cytokines,including TNF-α,IL-1βand IL-6,in a THP-1 human monocyte cell line.The signal transduction pathways involved in the production of these cytokines were then further investigated.No inhibition of TNF-a,IL-1β,or IL-6 production was observed following treatment with the SAPK/JNK specific inhibitor SP600125 or with an ERK inhibitor PD98059.By contrast,anti-TLR2 mAb,anti-CD14 mAb,and the p38 inhibitor SB203580 significantly inhibited the production of all three cytokines.In addition,pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC),a specific inhibitor of NF-κB,profoundly inhibited the production of these cytokines.Tp0751 treatment strongly activated NF-κB,as revealed by Western blotting.However,NF-κB translocation was significantly inhibited by treatment with PDTC.These results indicated that TLR2,CD14,MAPKs/p38,and NF-κB might be implicated in the inflammatory reaction caused by T.pallidum infection.     

Development and functional characterization of insulin-releasing human pancreatic beta cell lines produced by electrofusion

Three novel human insulin-releasing cell lines designated 1.1B4, 1.4E7, and 1.1E7 were generated by electrofusion of freshly isolated of human pancreatic beta cells and the immortal human PANC-1 epithelial cell line. Functional studies demonstrated glucose sensitivity and responsiveness to known modulators of insulin secretion. Western blot, RT-PCR, and immunohistochemistry showed expression of the major genes involved in proinsulin processing and the pancreatic beta cell stimulus-secretion pathway including PC1/3, PC2, GLUT-1, glucokinase, and K-ATP channel complex (Sur1 and Kir6.2) and the voltage-dependent L-type Ca(2+) channel. The cells stained positively for insulin, and 1.1B4 cells were used to demonstrate specific staining for insulin, C-peptide, and proinsulin together with insulin secretory granules by electron microscopy. Analysis of metabolic function indicated intact mechanisms for glucose uptake, oxidation/utilization, and phosphorylation by glucokinase. Glucose, alanine, and depolarizing concentrations of K(+) were all able to increase [Ca(2+)](i) in at least two of the cell lines tested. Insulin secretion was also modulated by other nutrients, hormones, and drugs acting as stimulators or inhibitors in normal beta cells. Subscapular implantation of the 1.1B4 cell line improved hyperglycemia and resulted in glucose lowering in streptozotocin-diabetic SCID mice. These novel human electrofusion-derived beta cell lines therefore exhibit stable characteristics reminiscent of normal pancreatic beta cells, thereby providing an unlimited source of human insulin-producing cells for basic biochemical studies and pharmacological drug testing plus proof of concept for cellular insulin replacement therapy.     

Insights to the minimal model of insulin secretion through a mean-field beta cell model

The present work introduces an extension of the original minimal model of second phase insulin secretion during the intravenous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT), which can provide both physiological and mathematical insights to the minimal model. The extension is named the mean-field beta cell model since it returns the average response of a large number of nonlinear secretory entities. Several secretion models have been proposed for the IVGTT, and we shall identify two fundamentally different theoretical features of these models. Both features can play a central role during the IVGTT, including the one presented in the mean-field beta cell model.     

微囊化胰岛B细胞系体外生长和分泌功能的研究

目的：研究海藻酸钠－多聚赖氨酸－海澡酸钠（APA）微囊化胰岛B细胞系BTC6－F7的生长和分泌规律,探索其作为生物人工胰岛的可能性。方法：以微囊静电液滴发生器制作APA微囊化BTC6－F7细胞,体外培养并定期测定微囊化细胞的生长和胰岛素分泌。结果：在实验观察的90d内,BTC6－F7细胞可在微囊内以细胞团的形式生长、存活。囊内细胞总数随培养时间的延长而增加,但细胞活率呈下降趋势,胰岛素分泌与囊内活细胞数的变化规律一致,最初呈上升趋势,然后较长时间维持在相对恒定的水平。结论：本研究所制备的APA微囊化胰岛B细胞可在较长时间内保持生长、存活和分泌功能,为进一步发展生物型人工胰岛奠定了基础,并可用于糖尿病的发病机理和治疗研究。     

Mechanisms of activation of the RAW264.7 macrophage cell line by transfected mammalian DNA

Bacterial DNA can stimulate the production of cytokines and nitric oxide (NO), while mammalian DNA can block these responses. If mammalian DNA is transfected into macrophages, however, it can stimulate NO production, without inducing IL-12. To define further this activity, signaling pathways induced by transfected calf thymus (CT) DNA were studied. Using RAW264.7 cells as a model, CT DNA in the transfection agent FuGENE 6 activated cells through the NF-kappaB and MAPKs pathways, similar to bacterial DNA and LPS. The role of these pathways was further investigated using specific inhibitors, with studies indicating that NO production is blocked by inhibitors of NF-kappaB and p38 but not other MAPKs. These data indicate that the immune activity of DNA is influenced by context or intracellular location and that, when transfected into cells, mammalian DNA can activate cells through signaling pathways similar to those of bacterial DNA.     

Types of voltage—dependent calcium channels involved in high potassium depolarization—induced amylase secretion in the exocrine pancreatic tumour cell line AR4—2J

Ca2 channelsandamylasesecreti0ninAR4-2Jce1lsAR4-2Jisacelllineoriginallyderivedfr0matransp1antable,azaserine-inducedmurinetumour[1,2],whichc0ntainssignificantamount0famylaseandotherdiges-tiveenzymes'Thiscelllinecontainsanumberofreceptorsystems:substanceP[3…     

Interleukin-4 is effective in restoring cytotoxic T cell activity that declines during in vivo progression of a murine B lymphoma

 We previously reported [Chakrabarti et al. (1992) Cell Immunol 142:54; 144:455] that, in a murine B lymphoma model 2C3, idiotype (Id)-specific CD8⁺ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) are generated in mice following hyperimmunization with irradiated tumor cells, and that they are effective in tumor rejection. The present study reveals that 2C3-specific CTL are also induced in spleens during tumor progression, but are not sustained. At the early stage of tumor growth, the splenic T cells following a 5-day incubation in vitro with killed 2C3 tumor targets, produce high levels of cytokines, namely interleukin-4 (IL-4), IL-10 and interferon γ (IFNγ). Their cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) activity and cytokine levels, except IL-2, sharply decline at the late stage when the mice are increasingly moribund. Although the decline in cytokine level is also evident with CD4⁺ T cells, a precipitous and concurrent decrease occurs primarily in the IL-4 level with both CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells of late-tumor-bearing animals (TBA). Study with the unseparated splenocytes also reveals that sevenfold less IL-4 is produced at the late stage. Furthermore, the cytotoxicity of CTL from late TBA can be effectively restored by addition of supernatants from the splenocyte culture of early TBA, or by IL-4, but not by IFNγ and IL-10. In addition, only IL-4-activated CD8⁺ T cells from the late TBA are found, by Winn assay, to be protective in vivo. Thus it appears that IL-4, required to sustain antitumor CTL activity, is consumed by T and possibly other cells at the late stage of tumor growth, thereby compromising host immunity against the tumor. We contend that induction or maintenance of protective immunity depends not only on the tumor antigen but also on the specific cytokine milieu in a tumor-bearing host. Received: 8 February 1997 / Accepted: 24 April 1997