白血病牛姊妹染色单体交换(SCE)与染色体畸变的观察

本试验采用姊妹染色单体交换技术和染色体常规分析方法对来自不同牧场的33头BLV(牛白血病病毒)阴性健康牛、18头BLV阳性牛、10头伴有持续性淋巴细胞增生的BLV阳性牛(血液学和血清学检查都是阳性,称为双阳性)和5头淋巴肉瘤牛进行了观察和比较研究。结果表明,姊妹染色单体交换频率,染色体结构畸变和数目畸变频率都是淋巴肉瘤患牛>双阳性牛>BLV阳性牛>BLV阴性健康牛。并且在数理统计上,淋巴肉瘤患牛与双阳性牛之间,BLV阳性牛与BLV阴性健康牛之间均有极显著的差异(P<0.1％),但是双阳性牛与BLV阳性牛之间差异不显著(P>5％)。     

Adipose-derived stem cells mediate immunosuppression of Th17 in multiple sclerosis

AIM: To investigate how human adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs) regulates the differentiation of Th17 cells in multiple sclerosis. METHODS: hASCs were isolated from the adipose tissues. Magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS) kit was used to isolate CD4⁺ T cells from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) which were isolated by density gradient centrifugation. The percentage of CD4⁺ T cells was detected by flow cytometry. The activated CD4⁺ T cells were co-cultured with hASCs for about 4 d at different ratios of hASCs to CD4⁺ T cells (1:4 and 1:10) in a Th17 polarised condition. Another group adding anti-leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) antibody was set up. Th17 cell proportion of the CD4⁺ T cells was determined by flow cytometry. The level of LIF in the supernatant of co-cultured system was measured by ELISA. The mRNA expression of retinoid-related orphan receptor γt (RORγt), interleukin-6 receptor (IL-6R), interleukin-23 receptor (IL-23R), LIF and leukemia inhibitory factor receptor (LIFR) was detected by real-time PCR. RESULTS: The result of flow cytometry suggested there were mainly hASCs, and the percentage of CD4⁺ T cells in the PBMCs were above 90% after MACS. The Th17 cell proportion decreased in 1:4 and 1:10 co-cultured groups in a dose-dependent manner. The mRNA expression of IL-6R, IL-23R and RORγt was downregulated and the expression of LIFR and LIF was up-regulated. When the anti-LIF was added into the co-cultured system, the ratio of Th17 cells increased and reached to the control level. The protein level of LIF obviously increased after co-cultured. After anti-LIF added, the mRNA expression of RORγt and IL-6R was up-regulated. CONCLUSION: hASCs inhibits the differentiation of Th17 cells from multiple sclerosis patients through the competitive inhibition of LIF/IL-6 by secreting LIF.     

Canine lymphoproliferative disease characterized by lymphocytosis: immunophenotypic markers of prognosis

BACKGROUND: Canine lymphoproliferative disease often presents with lymphocytosis and is immunophenotypically diverse. HYPOTHESIS: Immunophenotype predicts prognosis in canine lymphoproliferative disorders involving circulating lymphocytosis. ANIMALS: Dogs that had peripheral blood evaluation performed by flow cytometry by the Clinical Immunology Service at Colorado State University between 2003 and 2005. METHODS: Outcome data regarding treatment and survival were sought on patients with lymphocytosis comprising a single lymphocyte subset. Ninety-six patients that met the inclusion criteria had sufficient follow-up information to be included in the study. RESULTS: Four main phenotypic classifications were found: CD8+ T-cell, CD21+ B-cell, CD4-8-5+ (aberrant T-cell phenotype), and CD34+ (undifferentiated progenitor). Expression of CD34 predicted poor outcome with median survival of 16 days (P < .0001) compared with other phenotypes. Within the CD8+ phenotype, dogs presenting with a lymphocytosis >30,000 lymphocytes/muL had significantly shorter median survival (131 days) than those presenting with <30,000 lymphocytes/muL (1098 days, P < .0008). Within the T-cell leukemias, there was no difference in outcome between dogs with CD4-8-5+ leukemia and dogs with the CD8+ T-cell phenotype nor was the loss of expression of the pan-leukocyte marker CD45 associated with decreased survival time. A CD21+ lymphocytosis composed of large cells was associated with shorter survival time (129 days) than those with smaller circulating cells (median survival not reached, P < .01). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Immunophenotyping provides an objective method for determining prognosis in lymphoproliferative disorders characterized by lymphocytosis.     

Leukemia inhibitory factor protein and receptors are expressed in the bovine adrenal cortex and increase cortisol and decrease adrenal androgen release

The release of adrenal steroids during acute stress is primarily regulated by adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). In contrast, during chronic inflammatory stress additional factors are involved in regulating adrenal function. Leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) is a pleiotropic cytokine that increases ACTH release from the pituitary. In addition, LIF and LIF receptors (LIFR) are expressed in the human adrenal cortex and the human adrenocortical tumor cell line H295R. Furthermore, LIF increases basal and ACTH-stimulated cortisol release from H295R cells. However, the expression of LIF and LIFR in non-human adrenal glands and the effects of LIF on the release of cortisol from adrenal cells of non-human species have not been determined. Furthermore, the effects of LIF on adrenal androgen release from all species are unknown. In this study, immunohistochemistry, Western blots, RT-PCR, and nucleotide sequencing was utilized to demonstrate that LIF and its receptor are expressed throughout the bovine adrenal cortex. Although LIF did not modify basal cortisol release from dispersed cells isolated from the bovine adrenal zona fasciculate, this cytokine increased ACTH-stimulated release of cortisol from these cells in a manner dependent on the LIF concentration and exposure interval. In contrast, LIF in a concentration-dependent and time-dependent manner decreased basal and ACTH-stimulated adrenal androgen release from dispersed cells isolated from the bovine adrenal zona reticularis. Because LIF release increases during inflammatory stress and this cytokine stimulates adrenal cortisol release and inhibits adrenal androgen release, this cytokine may play an important role in regulating the release of adrenal steroids during inflammatory stress.     

Expression of telomerase inhibitor Pinx1 in leukemia cells and its correlation with telomerase activity

AIM:To study the expression of telomerase inhibitor Pinx1 in acute leukemia cells and during the differentiation of acute promyelocytic leukemia cells,and to realize its effect on telomerase activity.METHODS:Realtime quantitative PCR with fluorescence probe hybridization was used to measure the expression of Pinx1 and hTERT mRNA in acute leukemia cells and during differentiation of NB4 cells induced by ATRA.The correlations between Pinx1 and hTERT expression were also analyzed.RESULTS:Pinx1 mRNA expression in acute leukemia samples (0.00312,5.42×10-4-0.024) was significantly higher than that in normal bone marrow mononuclear cells (7.89×10-4,0-0.00863,P<0.01).The expression of Pinx1 mRNA had significant positive correlation with hTERT mRNA expression (r=0.296,P<0.05).Pinx1 mRNA expression decreased during differentiation,its expression was positive correlated with hTERT mRNA expression (r=0.900,P<0.05).CONCLUSIONS:As an inhibitor of telomerase,however,Pinx1 also had the same direction of regulation with telomerase activity in acute leukemia cells,suggesting its expression variation may be a subsequent reaction induced by that of hTERT to stabilize telomerase activity.The exact mechanisms remained to be verified.     

Etoposide induces apoptosis via mitochondrial signaling pathway with cytochrome c release in Jurkat leukemia cells

AIM:To investigate the molecular mechanisms of apoptosis and to elucidate the apoptosis signaling pathway triggered by etoposide in Jurkat human leukemia cells. METHODS:Apoptosis was detected using annexin V-FITC and propidium iodide (PI) staining, respectively, and annexin V-FITC positive cells and hypodiploid cells were analyzed by flow cytometry. Mitochondrial membrane potential (△Ψm) was detected using 3, 3-dihexyloxycarbocyanine iodide ［DiOC6(3)］ staining and △Ψm low cells were analyzed by flow cytometry. Preparation of cytosolic extracts and isolation of mitochondria were completed by centrifugation. Western blotting analysis was used to evaluate the level of cytochrome c, caspase-3, and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) expression. RESULTS:Etoposide induced apoptosis showing phosphatidylserine externalization and DNA fragmentation in a time-dependent manner and the apoptosis could be inhibited by a broad caspase inhibitor benzyloxycarbonyl-Val-Ala-Asp-fluoromethylketone (zVAD.fmk). Collapse of △Ψm induced by etoposide preceded DNA fragmentation and phosphatidylserine externalization. In contrast, it was not blocked by zVAD.fmk. Etoposide caused cytochrome c release from mitochondria into cytosol, subsequent activation of caspase-3 (32 kD) presented with an intermediate (20 kD) and its active product (17 kD), and cleavage of full-length PARP (116 kD) into the so-called apoptotic 85 kD fragment. CONCLUSION:Etoposide-induced Jurkat cell apoptosis is initiated through mitochondria signaling pathway with cytochrome c release into cytoplasm and caspase is the ultimate executioner of cell apoptosis.