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HIV-1 proviral DNA contains two binding sites for the transcription factor NF-kappa B. HIV-1-infected individuals have , on average, abnormally high levels of tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) and abnormally low plasma cysteine levels. We therefore investigated the effects of cysteine and related thiols on HIV-1 replication and NF-kappa B expression. The experiments in this report show that cysteine or N-acetylcysteine (NAC) raise the intracellular glutathione ( GSH ) level and inhibit HIV-1 replication in persistently infected Molt-4 and U937 cells. However, Cysteine and NAC also inhibit NF-kappa B activity as determined by electrophoretic mobility shift assays and chloramphenicol acetyl-transferase (CAT) gene expression under control of NF-kappa B binding sites in uninfected cells. This

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Numerous genes required during the immune or inflammation response as well as the adhesion process are regulated by nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB). Associated with its inhibitor, I kappaB, NF-kappaB resides as an inactive form in the cytoplasm. Upon stimulation by various agents, I kappaB is proteolyzed and NF-kappaB translocates to the nucleus, where it activates its target genes. The transduction pathways that lead to I kappaB inactivation remain poorly understood. In this study, we have characterized a cellular mutant, the 70/Z3-derived 1.3E2 murine pre-B cell line, that does We demonstrate that upon stimulation by lipopolysaccharide, Taxol, phorbol myristate acetate, interleukin-1, or double-stranded RNA, As well as culminating in the inducible phosphorylation of I kappaB alpha on serines 32 and 36, all the stimuli that are inactive on 1.3E2 cells exhibit a sensitivity to the antioxidant pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC). In contrast, stimuli such as hyperosmotic shock or phosphatase inhibitors, which use PDTC-insensitive pathways, induce I kappaB alpha degradation in 1.3E2. Analysis of the redox status of 1.3E2 does We also report that the human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1)-derived Tax trans-activator induces NF-kappaB activity in 1.3E2, Finally, we show that Our results demonstrate that 1.3E2 is a cellular transduction mutant exhibiting a defect in a step that is required by several different stimuli to activate NF-kappaB. In addition, this analysis

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However, We have examined the effect of Rb expression on the activation of the promoter for HLA-DRA, the prototype class II gene. Oct-1, a POU domain transcription factor, was identified as a repressor of HLA-DRA promoter activity in the Rb-defective cells. Rb expression led to phosphorylation of Oct-1, thus relieving its repressive effect. Oct-1 has also been shown to repress interleukin 8 promoter activity. Consistent with reduced levels of Oct-1 DNA binding activity in the Rb-transformed cell lines, interleukin 8 expression is higher in these cell lines.

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Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is a well-established risk factor for atherosclerosis. When endothelial cells are incubated with this lipoprotein in pathophysiologic amounts, the cells are activated. Among the documented cellular responses to LDL is increased recruitment of monocytes, The findings presented here link an atheogenic lipoprotein, LDL, with the induction of an adhesion molecule important in atherogenesis Human LDL induces the vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) transcriptionally with an increase in mRNA levels through activation of the VCAM promoter. This effect is blocked by anti-VCAM antibodies. After a 2-day incubation in LDL, the binding of NF-kappa B, In contrast, the binding activities of AP-1 and GATA, on the other hand, are increased by LDL. Thus, a component of LDL-enhanced endothelial recruitment of monocytes is attributed to VCAM-1 expression, These data identify LDL as a VCAM-inducer

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The anaphylatoxin C3a has been reported to have immunomodulatory effects on a number of different cell types. In this study we investigated the effects of C3a and C3a(desArg) on gene expression and protein secretion of IL-6 in human PBMCs, either alone or in combination with LPS or IL-1beta. C3a or C3a(desArg) alone exhibited However, when PBMC were stimulated with LPS or IL-1beta, both C3a and C3a(desArg) were found to enhance IL-6 release by PBMC in a dose-dependent manner. Since C3a has been shown to induce PGE2 production by monocytes, and PGE2 has been shown to influence cytokine production, we investigated the Indomethacin blocked PGE2 release, but had Northern blot analysis showed that C3a as well as C3a(desArg) enhanced LPS-induced mRNA levels for IL-6. Pretreatment of PBMCs with pertussis toxin blocked the functions of C3a and C3a(desArg), Furthermore, we investigated the effects of C3a and C3a(desArg) on induction of NF-kappaB and activating protein-1 binding. Both molecules enhanced LPS-induced NF-kappaB and activating protein-1 binding activity. These results demonstrate the capacity of intact C3a and its circulating des-Arg form to exert immunmodulatory effects in vitro.

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CD44 is a ubiquitous molecule also known as hyaluronic acid or homing receptor. However, In this study, we propose a novel function for CD44. Using synovial cells from rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, we demonstrated that CD44 cross-linking and binding to hyaluronan augmented VCAM-1 expression and subsequently VCAM-1-mediated cell adhesion. Briefly, we found that 1) rheumatoid synovial cells highly expressed CD44; 2) cross-linking of CD44 markedly but transiently augmented VCAM-1 expression and its mRNA transcription much more than did IL-1beta and TNF-alpha; 3) hyaluronan, especially when fragmented, also up-regulated VCAM-1; 4) CD44 activated the transcription factor AP-1; and 5) the integrin-dependent adhesive function of RA synovial cells to T cells was also amplified by CD44 cross-linking. These results We therefore

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The mouse mammary tumor virus env gene contains a transcriptional activator (META) that can control transcription of the adjacent long terminal repeat region. Transcriptional control by META parallels that of several lymphokine genes, being specific to T cells, dependent on their activation, and inhibited by the immunosuppressive drug cyclosporine (CsA). DNase I footprinting Nuclear factors from unstimulated, but META(D+) directed transcription of a linked luciferase gene, and gel shift analysis revealed binding of inducible, CsA-sensitive T cell factors, in parallel with transfection results. Authentic NFAT and NF-kappaB targets did The SV40 core sequence competed for META(D+) binding factors, but META(D+) Our results, taken together, It

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Early studies in murine T cell lines However, more recent studies in human T cell lines have To better understand the contribution of the GR N-terminal transactivation domain in mediating murine thymocyte apoptosis, we stably transfected GR, GR variants, and the androgen receptor (AR) into receptor-negative S49 murine thymoma cells. GR expression levels were shown to be rate-limiting for initiating the apoptotic pathway, and a positive correlation between steroid sensitivity and GR-mediated induction of an integrated mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) LTR reporter gene was observed. Analysis of GR chimeric receptors containing the potent VP16 and E1A viral transactivation domains in place of the GR N terminus revealed that even low level expression of these receptors resulted in both enhanced steroid sensitivity and MMTV induction, thus supporting a role for transactivation in apoptosis. In contrast, we found that AR can initiate apoptosis in S49 cells after treatment with 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone, despite its relative inability to induce high level expression of MMTV. To investigate this further, we examined the steroid-regulated expression of an endogenous thymocyte-specific gene called GIG18. We found that GIG18 was rapidly induced to comparable levels by both AR and GR, demonstrating that AR can indeed function as a transcriptional activator in S49 cells and , moreover , that GIG18 induction Taken together, these results support our

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Using a human TSH receptor (TSH-R) cDNA probe, we investigated TSH-R transcript levels in 13 human thyroid fragments by Northern blot analysis; 7 Graves ' disease, 2 Hashimoto 's disease, 3 endemic goiter, and 1 healthy thyroid gland were studied. TSH-R expression levels were variable, but displayed a close correlation to the expression of thyroid peroxidase (r = 0.703; P < 0.05), thyroglobulin (r = 0.817; P < 0.01), and the nuclear oncogene c-fos (r = 0.935; P < 0.001), but Overall, TSH-R transcript levels were low or absent in those thyroids in which expression of the major histocompatibility complex class I or II (MHC I or II) was high, thus establishing an inverse relation (MHC I, r = -0.791; P < 0.01; MHC II, r = -0.784; P < 0.01). In situ hybridization showed that apart from lymphocytes, thyroid cells themselves were the source of MHC II transcripts. gamma-Interferon expression was only detectable in 1 Hashimoto 's goiter. Our findings

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The IE2 gene product of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is one of a few viral regulatory proteins expressed immediately upon infection of the host cell. It is a potent transcriptional activator of many viral and cellular promoters. We found that the retinoblastoma susceptibility gene product (Rb) dramatically suppressed this IE2 transactivation of various promoters. However, unlike another tumor suppressor protein, p53, Rb did not have any significant effect on basal levels of transcription, We found by protein-affinity chromatography that Rb in nuclear extracts or produced by in vitro translation directly bound to IE2. Our results Furthermore, these data

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Nitric oxide subserves diverse physiologic roles in the nervous system. NO is produced from at least three different NO synthase (NOS) isoforms: neuronal NOS (nNOS), endothelial NOS, and immunologic NOS (iNOS). We show that nNOS is the predominant isoform constitutively expressed in glia. NO derived from nNOS in glia inhibits the transcription factor nuclear factor kappaB (NF kappaB) as NOS inhibitors enhance basal NF kappaB activation. Pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) is an inhibitor of NF kappaB in most cells; however, we show that PDTC is also a potent scavenger of NO through formation of mononitrosyl iron complexes with PDTC. In Jurkat cells, a human T-cell lymphoma cell line, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) induces NF kappaB activation that is inhibited by PDTC. Contrary to the results in Jurkat cells, PDTC did In astrocytes PDTC also dramatically induces the NF kappaB-dependent enzyme, iNOS, supporting the physiologic relevance of endogenous NO regulation of NF kappaB. NF kappaB activation in glia from mice Our data

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The promoter of the major histocompatibility class II gene DRA contains an octamer element (ATTTGCAT) that is required for efficient DRA expression in B cells. Several DNA-binding proteins are known to bind this sequence. The best characterized are the B cell-specific OTF-2 and the ubiquitous OTF-1. This report directly demonstrates that OTF-2 but In vitro transcription analysis using protein fractions enriched for the octamer-binding protein OTF-2 demonstrate a positive functional role for OTF-2 in DRA gene transcription. In contrast, OTF-1-enriched protein fractions did Recombinant OTF-2 protein produced by in vitro transcription/translation In vivo transient transfection studies utilizing an OTF-2 expression vector resulted in similar findings : that OTF-2 protein enhanced DRA gene transcription, and that this effect requires an intact octamer element. Together these results constitute the first direct evidence of a positive role for the lymphoid-specific octamer-binding factor in DRA gene transcription.

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Previous studies have shown constitutive activation of IL-4 and IL-7 signaling pathways, as measured by activation of Janus protein kinase (JAK)1, JAK3, STAT5, and STAT6, in pre-B cells transformed by v-Abl. To determine Whereas IL-4 had little or IL-7 also delayed the decreases in the levels of c-Myc, Bcl-2, and Bcl-xL that occur upon loss of v-Abl kinase activity. IL-7 did These results identify a

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We have used a DNA-binding/immunoprecipitation assay to analyze the capacity of human glucocorticoid receptor (hGR), generated in rabbit reticulocyte lysates, to bind DNA. In vitro translated hGR was indistinguishable from native hGR, as determined by migration on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels, sedimentation on sucrose density gradients, and reactivity with antipeptide antibodies generated against hGR. In addition, cell-free synthesized hGR was capable of specific binding to glucocorticoid response element ( GRE ) -containing DNA fragments. Using this assay system, we have evaluated the contributions of ligand binding and heat activation to DNA binding by these glucocorticoid receptors. In vitro translated hGR was capable of selective DNA binding even in the Treatment with dexamethasone or the antiglucocorticoid RU486 had In contrast, addition of either ligand or antagonist in combination with a heat activation step promoted DNA binding by approximately 3-fold over that of heat-activated unliganded receptors. Agonist (dexamethasone) was slightly more effective in supporting specific DNA binding than antagonist (RU486). DNA binding by in vitro synthesized GR was blocked by the addition of sodium molybdate to the receptor preparations before steroid addition and thermal activation. Addition of KCl resulted in less DNA binding The specificity of DNA binding by cell-free synthesized hGR was analyzed further by examining the abilities of various DNAs to compete for binding to a naturally occurring GRE found in the mouse mammary tumor virus-long terminal repeat. Oligonucleotides containing the consensus GRE were the most efficient competitors, and fragments containing regulatory sequences from glucocorticoid-repressible genes were somewhat competitive, whereas single stranded oligonucleotides were Together these studies Similarities between the effects of dexamethasone and RU486

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Previously, we showed that fibroblast conditioned medium (FCM) is able to inhibit both TNF mRNA accumulation and protein release in peripheral blood-derived human monocytes (PBM) stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). In this study we have investigated the effect of FCM on the LPS-induced DNA-binding activity of NF-kappaB, by means of electrophoretic shift assay (EMSA). We provide evidence that FCM strongly inhibits the LPS-induced NF-kappaB activation in PBM. Furthermore, we show that exogenous PGE2 mimics the NF-kappaB inhibitory effect of FCM. On the other hand, FCM produced in the presence of indomethacin does Our results lend further support to the

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Nasal T/NK-cell lymphomas can be further separated into those of natural killer (NK) cell lineage or of T-cell lineage, with differences in cellular phenotype, T-cell receptor (TcR) gene rearrangement and TcR transcript expression. Both NK- and T-cell subtypes are closely associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). In this study, EBV gene expression was determined in 23 cases of nasal lymphoma (NL) by in situ hybridisation (ISH), reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry (IH). Of the 23 cases, 19 were classified as NK-cell and 4 as T-cell tumours. ISH for EBV-encoded small non-polyadenylated RNAs showed that all cases, RT-PCR demonstrated that NL of both subtypes expressed EBNAI of the QUK splice pattern, the latent membrane proteins, LMP1 and 2 and the BamHI A rightward transcripts in the absence of EBNA2 mRNAs, compatible with the latency type II pattern. In addition, analysis of EBV protein expression by IH revealed a heterogeneous pattern of EBV gene expression at the single-cell level consisting of both LMP1+ and LMP1- tumour cells, Although 2 early lytic transcripts, BZLF1 and BHRF1, were also detected in 13 and 10 cases, respectively, the The viral transcriptional pattern similar to that of nasopharyngeal carcinoma and Hodgkin 's disease Down-regulation of immunogenic proteins (EBNA2-EBNA6) in nasal lymphoma

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IL-10 is a potent mediator of human B cell growth and plasma cell formation. However, signal transduction of IL-10 in B cells is poorly understood. In this study the effect of IL-10 on the expression of the protooncogene c-fos was investigated, because Fos plays a B cells were purified from buffy coat preparations of healthy blood donors by positive selection using an anti CD20 monoclonal antibody and a MiniMACS separation unit. B cells were prestimulated with SAC for 48 hrs. Then, cells were incubated with medium or IL-10 (100 ng/ml) for 10 to 120 min. RNA was extracted by phenol/chloroform and c-fos expression was analyzed by PCR assisted mRNA assay. A significant 2-4 fold increase of c-fos expression was observed within 30 min of stimulation with IL-10 (p < 0.01). After 2 hrs c-fos expression declined to basal levels. The effect of IL-10 was dose-dependent with a maximum stimulation using 100 ng/ml of IL-10. Using the tyrosine kinase inhibitor genistein (10 microM) a complete inhibition of IL-10 induced c-fos expression was observed. In addition, H-7 (10 microM), a specific inhibitor of serine/threonine kinases, significantly blocked IL-10 mediated c-fos expression (p < 0.05). In conclusion, these data show that IL-10 induces c-fos expression in human B-cells by activation of tyrosine and serine/threonine kinases. Since this is the first report on IL-10 induced signal transduction, these data

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IL-10 markedly reduces nuclear factor (NF)-kappa B/Rel nuclear activity induced in PBMC by stimulation with the anti-CD3 mAb OKT3. The inhibition is exerted specifically on the NF-kappa B/Rel activation induced by mAb OKT3, and As judged by supershifting the DNA-protein complexes with Abs recognizing specific components of the NF-kappa B/Rel protein family, the p50/p65 (Rel A) heterodimeric form of NF-kappa B is primarily affected. The maximal effect is observed at the IL-10 concentration of 20 U/ml. IL-10 inhibitory activity is exerted on T lymphocytes and is mediated by monocytes. Indeed, monocytes pretreated with IL-10 are able so inhibit NF-kappa B nuclear activity in purified T lymphocytes stimulated with OKT3. On the other hand, Therefore, Our results demonstrate that IL-10 can inhibit the induction of NF-kappa B/Rel nuclear activity in CD3-stimulated T lymphocytes. Since inappropriate activation of kappa B-driven genes has a physiopathologic role in a number of diseases, such as HIV infection, our findings support the

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Nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappa B)/Rel proteins are inducible transcriptional regulators of numerous cellular genes. They are particularly abundant in lymphoid tissues and We have reported previously that a nuclear NF-kappa B activity was present in freshly extracted human thymocytes in the In the present report, we identified NF-kappa B proteins extracted from human thymocyte nuclei as being p50/p65 and p50/c-Rel complexes. Immunochemical and immunofluorescent staining of thymus sections using specific Abs allowed visualization of nuclear NF-kappa B proteins in both thymocytes and nonthymocyte cells. This detection However, the intensity of p65 labeling was much higher in several thymocytes from the medulla. p65, p50, and c-Rel activities were found in both CD4- and CD8-positive thymocytes. These observations

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B lymphocytes and macrophages express closely related immunoglobulin G (IgG) Fc receptors (Fc gamma RII) that differ only in the structures of their cytoplasmic domains. Because of cell type-specific alternative messenger RNA splicing, B-cell Fc gamma RII contains an insertion of 47 amino acids that participates in determining receptor function in these cells. Transfection of an Fc gamma RII-negative B-cell line with complementary DNA 's encoding the two splice products and various receptor mutants The insertion was Instead, regulation of activation involved a region of the cytoplasmic domain common to both the lymphocyte and macrophage receptor isoforms. In contrast, the insertion did contribute to the formation of caps in response to receptor cross-linking, consistent with

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Infection of human B cells with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) results in activation of the cell cycle and cell growth. To interpret the mechanisms by which EBV activates the cell, we have assayed many proteins involved in control of the G0 and G1 phases of the cell cycle and regulation of apoptosis. In EBV infection most of the changes, including the early induction of cyclin D2, are dependent on expression of EBV genes, but an alteration in the E2F-4 profile was partly independent of viral gene expression, By comparing the expression of genes controlling apoptosis, including those encoding several members of the BCL-2 family of proteins, the known relative resistance of EBV-immortalized B-cell lines to apoptosis induced by low serum was found to correlate with expression of both BCL-2 and A20. A20 can be regulated by the NF-kappaB transcription factor, which is known to be activated by the EBV LMP-1 protein. Quantitative assays demonstrated a direct temporal relationship between LMP-1 protein levels and active NF-kappaB during the time course of infection.

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We have examined the effects of N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), a well-characterized, thiol-containing antioxidant, on agonist-induced monocytic cell adhesion to endothelial cells (EC). NAC inhibited interleukin-1 (IL-1 beta)-induced, but Monocytic cell adhesion to EC in response to tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), lipopolysaccharide (LPS), alpha-thrombin, or phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) was similarly inhibited by NAC. Unlike published studies with pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate, which specifically inhibited vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1), NAC inhibited IL-1 beta-induced mRNA and cell surface expression of both E-selectin and VCAM-1. NAC had Although NAC reduced nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappa B) activation in EC as measured by gel-shift assays using an oligonucleotide probe corresponding to the consensus NF-kappa B binding sites of the VCAM-1 gene (VCAM-NF-kappa B), the antioxidant had Because NF-kappa B has been reported to be redox sensitive, we studied the effects of NAC on the EC redox environment. NAC caused an expected dramatic increase in the reduced glutathione (GSH) levels in EC. In vitro studies demonstrated that whereas the binding affinity of NF-kappa B to the VCAM-NF-kappa B oligomer peaked at a GSH-to-oxidized glutathione (GSSG) ratio of approximately 200 and decreased at higher ratios, These results Our data also demonstrate that NAC increases the GSH-to-GSSG ratio within the EC

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The present work has examined the effects of okadaic acid, an inhibitor of type 1 and 2A protein phosphatases, on the regulation of c-jun expression during monocytic differentiation of U-937 leukemia cells. The results demonstrate that okadaic acid treatment is associated with induction of a differentiated monocyte phenotype characterized by : ( a ) growth arrest; ( b ) increases in Mac-1 cell surface antigen expression; ( c ) down-regulation of c-myc transcripts; and ( d ) induction of tumor necrosis factor gene expression. This induction of monocytic differentiation was associated with transient increases in c-jun mRNA levels, which were maximal at 6 h. Similar effects were obtained for the c-fos gene. Run-on analysis demonstrated detectable levels of c-jun transcription in U-937 cells and that this rate is increased approximately 40-fold following okadaic acid exposure. c-jun mRNA levels were superinduced in cells treated with both okadaic acid and cycloheximide, whereas inhibition of protein synthesis had little, if any, effect on okadaic acid-induced c-jun transcription. The half-life of c-jun mRNA was similar (45-50 min) in both untreated and okadaic acid-induced cells. In contrast, treatment with both okadaic acid and cycloheximide was associated with stabilization (t 1/2 = 90 min) of c-jun transcripts. Taken together, these findings Since previous studies have demonstrated that the c-jun gene is autoinduced by Jun/AP-1, we also studied transcription of c-jun promoter (positions -132/+170)-reporter gene constructs with and

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The sexual difference in the incidence of autoimmune diseases has remained an enigma for many years. In the examination of the induction of autoimmunity in transgenic mice, evidence has been obtained further implicating the lymphokine interferon-gamma in the etiology of autoimmunity. Sex steroid regulation of the production of this molecule, as well as other cytokines,

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Because oleic acid is implicated in the antiatherogenic effects attributed to the Mediterranean diet, we investigated We incubated sodium oleate with human umbilical vein endothelial cells for 0 to 72 hours, followed by coincubation of oleate with human recombinant tumor necrosis factor, interleukin (IL)-1alpha, IL-1beta, IL-4, Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS), or phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate for a further 6 to 24 hours. The endothelial expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), E-selectin, and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 was monitored by cell surface enzyme immunoassays or flow cytometry, and steady-state levels of VCAM-1 mRNA were assessed by Northern blot analysis. At 10 to 100 micromol/L for >24 hours, oleate inhibited the expression of all adhesion molecules tested. After a 72-hour incubation with oleate and a further 16-hour incubation with oleate plus 1 microg/mL LPS, VCAM-1 expression was reduced by >40% compared with control. Adhesion of monocytoid U937 cells to LPS-treated endothelial cells was reduced concomitantly. Oleate also produced a quantitatively similar reduction of VCAM-1 mRNA levels on Northern blot analysis and inhibited nuclear factor-kappaB activation on electrophoretic mobility shift assays. Incubation of endothelial cells with oleate for 72 hours decreased the relative proportions of saturated (palmitic and stearic) acids in total cell lipids and increased the proportions of oleate in total cell lipids Although less potent than polyunsaturated fatty acids in inhibiting endothelial activation, oleic acid

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The p21ras small GTP binding proteins participate in signal transduction from cell surface receptors and affect neoplastic transformation and development in many different cell types. In the present study, we examined the relationship between ras transformation and differentiation of human B lymphocytes. We show that the constitutive expression of the T24 Ha-ras oncogene in EBV-immortalized B lymphoblasts was associated with the induction of the interleukin 2 receptor alpha subunit, with an impaired immunoglobulin gene expression, altered adhesion properties and increased survival in serum-free medium. Since induction of the IL-2 receptor alpha subunit is a hallmark of lymphocyte activation, we The ras-transformed lymphocytes displayed a fully functional IL-2r, as assessed by c-fos induction following treatment with IL-2; nevertheless, The decreased expression of immunoglobulin genes Somewhat unexpectedly, the constitutive p21ras activity did

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OBJECTIVES: To analyze the effect of retinoic acids (RA) on HIV-1 expression and correlate this effect with expression levels of RA receptors (RARs) in T-lymphoid and monocytoid cell lines. DESIGN AND METHODS: The effect of all-trans and 9-cis RA on HIV-1 production in T-lymphoid (H9, CEM) and monocytoid (U937,THP-1) cell lines was measured during acute and chronic infection. The expression levels of human RAR alpha (hRAR alpha, receptor for all-trans RA) and the human retinoid-X receptor alpha (hRXR alpha receptor for 9-cis RA) were determined by Northern blot analysis. RESULTS: Both all-trans and 9-cis RA inhibited virus replication in HIV-1 IIIB-infected monocytoid cells, in the presence and The retinoids had weak or HIV production by PMA-stimulated T-cell lines was inhibited by these retinoids. The 9-cis RA was generally more effective than all-trans RA in inhibiting HIV production and in combination generally more effective than the single agents alone. Human RAR alpha was expressed in H9, U937 and THP-1 cells, but almost undetectable in CEM cells. Human RXR alpha was significantly expressed in U937 and THP-1 cells, weakly expressed in H9 cells and After stimulation by PMA, RXR alpha expression increased in H9 and U937 cells but Human RAR alpha expression was unchanged in H9 and CEM cells, and elevated in U937 cells, after PMA stimulation. CONCLUSION: The effect of RA on HIV-1 expression was cell-type-dependent and partially correlated with cellular expression of RARs. Endogenous or exogenously administered RA

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The v-erbA oncoprotein represents a retrovirus-transduced oncogenic version of the thyroid hormone ( T3/T4 ) receptor c-erbA ( type alpha ). It contributes to virus-induced erythroleukemia by efficiently arresting differentiation of red cell progenitors and by suppressing transcription of erythrocyte-specific genes. Here, we show that v-erbA and c-erbA bind directly to sequences within the promoter of the erythrocyte-specific carbonic anhydrase II (CAII), a gene whose transcription is efficiently suppressed by v-erbA. This erbA-binding site confers thyroid hormone responsiveness to a heterologous promoter in transient expression experiments and is a target for efficient down-regulation of CAII transcription by the v-erbA oncoprotein. In stably transformed erythroblasts coexpressing the v-erbA oncoprotein and the c-erbA/T3 receptor at an approximately equimolar ratio, c-erbA activity is dominant over v-erbA. T3 efficiently induced erythroid differentiation in these cells, thus overcoming the v-erbA-mediated differentiation arrest. Likewise, T3 activated CAII transcription as well as transient expression of a T3-responsive reporter gene containing the CAII-specific erbA-binding site. Our results

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CTCF is a transcriptional repressor of the c-myc gene. Although CTCF has been characterized in some detail, there is very little information about the regulation of CTCF activity. Therefore we investigated CTCF expression and phosphorylation during induced differentiation of human myeloid leukemia cells. We found that: (i) both CTCF mRNA and protein are down-regulated during terminal differentiation in most cell lines tested; (ii) CTCF down-regulation is retarded and less pronounced than that of c-myc; (iii) CTCF protein is differentially phosphorylated and the phosphorylation profiles depend on the differentiation pathway. We concluded that CTCF expression and activity is controlled at transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels.

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Fusion proteins present in leukemic cells frequently contain a new amino acid at the fusion point. We tested CD4+ lymphocytes, at both polyclonal and clonal level, recognized peptide BCR1/25 in an HLA-DR--restricted fashion on presentation by autologous antigen-presenting cell (APC) or by APC expressing the HLA-DR11 restricting molecule. One clone (DEG5) also exerted a high and specific cytotoxicity against autologous cells pulsed with BCR1/25. The autologous DE LCL containing a transduced pml/RAR alpha fusion gene and expressing a bcr1 type of the pml/RAR alpha hybrid protein induced the proliferation of DE anti-BCR1/25 T cell clones. It is concluded that the bcr1 type-pml/RAR alpha fusion protein of APL contains an antigenic site, absent from the normal parent molecules and recognized by human CD4+ lymphocytes.

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To characterize the protein-DNA interactions important for the developmental control of the human beta-globin locus, we analyzed by in vivo dimethyl sulfate footprinting erythroid cells expressing either the fetal or the adult globin developmental program. In the locus control region (LCR) of the beta-globin locus, in vivo footprints on NF-E2 (or AP-1) and GATA-1 motifs remained the same regardless of In contrast, in vivo footprints on GT (CACCC) motifs differed between the cells expressing the fetal or the adult globin program. In promoter regions, the actively transcribed genes demonstrated extensive and consistent footprints over the canonical elements, such as CACCC and CCAAT motifs. The adult globin expressing cells displayed more extensive footprints than the fetal globin expressing cells in the 3' regulatory sequences of both the Agamma- and the beta-globin genes, Our results

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The initial infection with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) in most individuals usually results in the establishment of a latent or chronic infection before eventual progression toward acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. HIV-1 can also establish a latent or persistent infection in some T cell lines that show minimal constitutive virus expression. However, Various gene products from other viruses (HTLV-1, HSV, EBV, CMV, HBV, and HHV-6) can also enhance HIV-1 long terminal repeat ( LTR ) -driven reporter gene activity. On the basis of these observations, it has been So far, there are ACH-2, derived from a human T cell line (CEM), is chronically infected with HIV-1, with low levels of constitutive virus expression. ACH-2 can be converted to productive infection by stimulation of the cells with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA), mitogen or cytokines (TNF-alpha), or infection with HSV. Therefore the ACH-2 cell line is a good candidate for studying the effects of drugs on HIV-1 activation. Previously, we have reported that DHEA and synthetic analogs of DHEA can be modest inhibitors of HIV-1 IIIB replication in phytohemagglutinin-stimulated peripheral blood lymphocyte cultures. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

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Restoration of the CCAAT box or insertion of an erythroid Kruppel-like factor (EKLF) binding site in the delta promoter activates its expression in several erythroid cell lines. We extended these studies using a novel primary human adult erythroid cell (hAEC) system to investigate these effects at the late erythroblast stage. Restoration of the CCAAT box at -70 bp, or insertion of an EKLF binding site at -85 bp or -95 bp in the promoter significantly increased delta globin gene expression in hAEC. Our results demonstrate that the altered CCAAT box (CCAAC) and the

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In these studies, we have identified DNA sequences and specific protein interactions necessary for transcriptional regulation of the human prointerleukin 1 beta (proIL-1 beta) gene. A cell-type-independent lipopolysaccharide ( LPS ) -responsive enhancer element located between -3757 and -2729 bp upstream from the transcription start site (cap site) consisted of at least six discrete subregions which were essential to the maximal induction by LPS in transfected monocytes. Deletion and base substitution mutations along with DNA binding studies demonstrated that the enhancer contained a minimum of three functional protein binding sequences, One of the essential proteins which bound to the enhancer was When ligated to the proIL-1 beta cap site-proximal region (located between -131 to +12), both the proIL-1 beta and the simian virus 40 enhancer elements functioned more efficiently in monocytes than in HeLa cells, which are When ligated to the murine c-fos promoter, however, the proIL-1 beta enhancer was inducible in phorbol myristate acetate-stimulated HeLa cells,

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We evaluated the ability of eosinophil granule major basic protein (MBP) to stimulate interleukin (IL)-8 production by neutrophils. MBP over the concentration range of 0.1 to 10 microM stimulated the release of up to approximately 8 ng/ml IL-8. Incubation with 2 microM MBP showed that, after a 1 h lag, the level of IL-8 release increased with time for approximately 10 h. At the 2 microM concentration, eosinophil cationic protein, eosinophil-derived neurotoxin, and eosinophil peroxidase did MBP stimulated 2-fold increases in IL-8 messenger RNA (mRNA) after 1 and 3 h of incubation, which were blocked by pretreatment with actinomycin D. However, stimulation with MBP did No NF-IL-6 binding activity was detected in the same nuclear extracts. In addition, stimulation with MBP prolonged the stability of IL-8 mRNA. MBP also induced transient increases in mRNA for macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1alpha and MIP-1beta, but did These findings We postulate that MBP-induced release of IL-8 by neutrophils

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Target antigens defined by autoantibodies in IDDM include insulin, a In addition, some IDDM sera that contain antibodies to glutamic acid decarboxylase also coprecipitate a 38,000-M(r) protein from islets. This study used a high titer anti-38,000-M(r) serum to screen bacteriophage lambda cDNA expression libraries and identified human islet and placental clones encoding jun-B, the nuclear transcription protein, of predicted 38,000 M(r). Peripheral blood T-cells exhibited significant proliferation in response to a recombinant fragment of jun-B (amino acids 1-180) in 12 of 17 (71 %) recent-onset IDDM subjects, 8 of 16 (50 %) ICA-positive first-degree relatives of IDDM subjects who were at risk, 3 of 12 (25 %) other autoimmune disease subjects, and 0 of 10 healthy control subjects. Proliferation to tetanus toxoid did Responses to jun-B were Thus, autoreactive T-cells identify a novel antigen, p38 jun-B, in IDDM and

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We have isolated cDNA clones of myeloid differentiation primary response (MyD) genes, activated in the absence of de novo protein synthesis following induction for differentiation along either the macrophage or granulocyte lineage in human myeloblastic leukemia HL-60 cells. One cDNA clone of a primary response gene, expressed upon macrophage differentiation, encoded for Egr-1, a zinc finger transcription factor. The Egr-1 gene was observed to be transcriptionally silent in HL-60 cells, but active in U-937 and M1 cells, the latter two being predetermined for macrophage differentiation. Egr-1 antisense oligomers in the culture media blocked macrophage differentiation in both myeloid leukemia cell lines and normal myeloblasts. These observations

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Nuclear Factor kappa B (NFkappaB) is a critical regulator of several genes involved in immune and inflammatory responses. Treatment of T cells with a variety of stimuli, including TNF-alpha, leads to the translocation of the active p65-50 heterodimer to the nucleus, albeit at a lower level in T cells from the elderly. We demonstrate here that pretreatment with PAO results in the inhibition of NFkappaB induction in TNF-alpha treated T cells, Furthermore, it demonstrates that aging does Treatment with DMP prior to treatment with PAO and TNF abolishes the inhibition induced by PAO, in T cells from both young and old donors, alike. Finally, we demonstrate that a These data collectively

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BACKGROUND: The immediate early genes (IE) of human cytomegalovirus (CMV) can be expressed in monocytic cells and are known to regulate viral and cellular genes. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) plays a central role in numerous inflammatory and immune processes. Interleukin-6 levels are increased in lung transplant patients clinically diagnosed with CMV pneumonitis. The regulation of IL-6 is dependent on various stimuli that include lipopolysaccharide (LPS), viruses, and other cytokines. These studies examined the ability of CMV IE gene products to modulate IL-6 production. METHODS: THP-1 cells, a monocytic cell line, were transfected with the CMV IE genes. Interleukin-6 protein and IL-6 mRNA were measured in control and CMV immediate early transfected cells. Cotransfection of CMV IE genes and IL-6 chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT) or IL-6 luciferase constructs were used to study IL-6 promoter activity. RESULTS: Interleukin-6 protein and mRNA production were significantly increased in cells transfected with the CMV IE genes and stimulated with LPS compared to LPS-stimulated control cells. Cytomegalovirus IE gene products significantly enhanced LPS stimulation of IL-6 promoter activity in both IL-6 CAT and IL-6 luciferase assays. A deletion construct that contains a NF-kappa B site but is CONCLUSION: Cytomegalovirus immediate early gene products significantly enhanced expression of IL-6 in LPS-stimulated cells. The increase in IL-6 luciferase activity occurs in the The ability of CMV IE gene products to enhance IL-6 production

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Atopy, which predisposes individuals to develop asthma, severe systemic anaphylaxis, and atopic dermatitis, is usually associated with dramatically elevated total serum IgE levels and A recent sib-pair analysis revealed a tight linkage between markers on 5q31.1 and a major susceptibility gene controlling total serum IgE levels. Due to its location within this cluster and its biologic role in Ig class switching and Th2 cell differentiation, the IL-4 gene has emerged as one major candidate for the atopy gene. In one model, polymorphisms within IL-4 regulatory elements In support of this model, we report that the human IL-4 promoter exists in multiple allelic forms that exhibit distinct transcriptional activities in IL-4-positive T cells. A particular allele has an unusually high transcriptional activity. In EMSAs, this substitution results in a markedly enhanced affinity for sequence-specific complexes exhibiting an AP-1 specificity. The identification of allelic nucleotides, which results in overexpression of the IL-4 gene, provides specific targets for a comprehensive screening of atopic and nonatopic individuals and

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A function for protein kinase C-zeta (PKC-zeta), a member of the phorbol ester nonresponsive atypical protein kinase C subfamily, in modulating differentiation was examined in the leukemic U937 cell. Transfected U937 cells stably overexpressing PKC-zeta displayed a longer doubling time, lower saturation density at confluency, and an increase in adherence to plastic as compared to control cells. PKC-zeta cells expressed a more differentiated phenotype as assessed by changes in morphology, surface antigen expression, and lysosomal enzyme activities and were distinct from parental U937 cells stimulated to differentiate by exposure to phorbol esters. In contrast to parental U937 cells, PKC-zeta cells constitutively expressed mRNA transcripts for c-jun and a low mobility AP-1 binding activity. Thus, PKC-zeta overexpression stimulates a type of phenotypic differentiation that differs significantly from maturation occurring upon activation of other PKC subfamilies induced by phorbol ester treatment. Increased expression of the c-jun protooncogene and an increase in AP-1 binding activity in PKC-zeta cells provides a

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Protein phosphatases 1 and 2A are important in regulating cellular functions by controlling the phosphorylation state of their substrates. In human monocytes, the inhibitors of these phosphatases, okadaic acid and calyculin A, were found to increase the mRNA accumulation and cytokine production of interleukin-1 beta and interleukin-1 alpha. The increased mRNA accumulation was found to be primarily because of the increase in the transcription rate of the interleukin-1 genes. Okadaic acid increased the synthesis of the interleukin-1 beta precursor and mature forms and their secretion. This increased processing and secretion correlated with the stimulation of IL-1 beta convertase mRNA accumulation. The stimulation of interleukin-1 alpha production by okadaic acid was more modest than that of interleukin-1 beta. However, the phosphorylation of the precursor interleukin-1 alpha cytokine was increased. These results show that protein phosphatase 1 and 2A inhibitors exert multiple effects on cytokine production in human monocytes and

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Lymphoid differentiation is one of the best studied examples of mammalian development. Here Hans Clevers and Michael Owen describe how the cloning of the genes that encode T-cell-specific membrane proteins allows the identification of transcription factors that control the expression of these T-cell genes. Such transcription factors play a key role in the development of the mature T-cell phenotype by functioning as 'master regulators of T-cell differentiation'.

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We have previously shown that the presence of the CD4 cytoplasmic tail is critical for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-induced apoptosis (J.Corbeil, M.Tremblay, and D.D.Richman, J.Exp.Med.183:39-48, 1996). We have pursued our investigation of the role of the CD4 transduction pathway in HIV-induced apoptosis. To do this, wild-type and mutant forms of the CD4 cytoplasmic tail were stably expressed in the lymphoblastoid T-cell line A2.01. Apoptosis was prevented when CD4 truncated at residue 402 was expressed; however, cells expressing mutated receptors that do The differences between wild-type and mutated receptors in the induction of apoptosis were Initial signaling through the CD4 receptor played a major role in the sensitization of HIV-infected T cells to undergo apoptosis. Incubation of HIV-infected cells with monoclonal antibody (MAb) 13B8-2, which binds to CD4 in a region critical for dimerization of the receptor, prevented apoptosis Moreover, the apoptotic process was These observations demonstrate that CD4 signaling mediates HIV-induced apoptosis by a mechanism independent of Fas-Fas ligand interaction, does

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The in vitro transendothelial migration of circulating filarial antigen-specific T-cells was examined in Wuchereria banerofti infection. Circulating T-cells from individuals with filaria-induced lymphatic pathology (LP) had significantly greater migration through unstimulated HUVEC monolayers than did T-cells from asymptomatic infected (MF) individuals (P = 0.04). In contrast to the MF individuals where In six of seven patients examined, inhibition of the VLA-4/VCAM-1 pathway resulted in greater than 50% inhibition of transendothelial migration of T-cells.

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The KBF1 factor, which binds to the enhancer A located in the promoter of the mouse MHC class I gene H-2Kb, is indistinguishable from the p50 DNA binding subunit of the transcription factor NF-kappa B, which regulates a series of genes involved in immune and inflammatory responses. The KBF1/p50 factor binds as a homodimer but can also form heterodimers with the products of other members of the same family, like the c-rel and v-rel ( proto ) oncogenes. The dimerization domain of KBF1/p50 is contained between amino acids 201 and 367. A mutant of KBF1/p50 ( delta SP ), This protein reduces or abolishes in vitro the DNA binding activity of wild-type proteins of the same family (KBF1/p50, c- and v-rel). This mutant also functions in vivo as a trans-acting dominant negative regulator: the transcriptional inducibility of the HIV long terminal repeat (which contains two potential NF-kappa B binding sites) by phorbol ester (PMA) is inhibited when it is co-transfected into CD4+ T cells with the delta SP mutant. Similarly the basal as well as TNF or IL1-induced activity of the MHC class I H-2Kb promoter can be inhibited by this mutant in two different cell lines. These results constitute the first formal demonstration that these genes are regulated by members of the rel/NF-kappa B family.

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PU.1 (spi-1), a member of the Ets transcription factor family, is predominantly expressed in myeloid and B cells, activates many B cell and myeloid genes, and is critical for development of both of these lineages. Our previous studies (Chen, H.M., Ray-Gallet, D., Zhang, P., Hetherington, C.J., Gonzalez, D.A., Zhang, D.-E., Moreau-Gachelin, F., and Tenen, D.G.(1995) Oncogene 11, 1549-1560) demonstrate that the PU.1 promoter directs cell type-specific reporter gene expression in myeloid cell lines, and that PU.1 activates its own promoter in an autoregulatory loop. Here we show that the murine PU.1 promoter is also specifically and highly functional in B cell lines as well. Oct-1 and Oct-2 can bind specifically to a site at base pair -55 in vitro, and this site is specifically protected in B cells in vivo. We also demonstrate that two other sites contribute to promoter activity in B cells; an Sp1 binding site adjacent to the octamer site, and the PU.1 autoregulatory site. Finally, we show that the B cell coactivator OBF-1/Bob1/OCA-B is only expressed in B cells and This B cell restricted coactivator

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In preliminary studies, we have analyzed the hematopoietic growth factor (HGF) requirement of hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) purified from embryonic-fetal liver (FL) and grown in fetal calf serum-supplemented (FCS+) clonogenic culture. The key role of erythropoietin (Epo) for colony formation by early erythroid progenitors (burst-forming units-erythroid [BFU-E]) has been confirmed. Furthermore, in the absence of exogenous HGFs, FL monocytic progenitors (colony-forming unit monocyte [CFU-M]) generate large colonies exclusively composed of monocytes-macrophages; these colonies are absent in FCS- clonogenic culture. On this basis, we have investigated the role of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) and its isomer 9-cis RA in FL hematopoiesis. Both compounds modulate the growth of purified FL HPCs, which show a dose-dependent shift from mixed/erythroid/ monocytic to granulocytic colony formation. Studies on unicellular and paired daughter cell culture unequivocally ATRA and 9-cis RA also exert their effect on the proliferation of primitive HPCs (high-proliferative potential colony-forming cells [HPP-CFCs]) and High concentrations of either compound (1) drastically reduced the number of primary HPP-CFC colonies and totally abolished their recloning capacity and (2) inhibited HSC proliferation. It is crucial that these results mirror recent observations Altogether, these results

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Previously, we have shown that TAL1 and the LIM-only protein gene (LMO) are regularly coactivated in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). To understand the molecular mechanisms of functional synergy between TAL1 and LMO in tumorigenesis and transcriptional regulation, we tried to identify downstream target genes regulated by TAL1 and LMO by a subtractive PCR method. One of the isolated genes, that for retinaldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (RALDH2), was regularly expressed in most of the T-ALL cell lines that coexpressed TAL1 and LMO. Exogenously transfected TAL1 and LMO, but The RALDH2 transcripts in T-ALL were, however, mostly initiated within the second intron. Promoter analysis revealed that a GATA site in a cryptic promoter in the second intron was essential and sufficient for the TAL1- and LMO-dependent transcriptional activation, and GATA3 binds to this site. In addition, forced expression of GATA3 potentiated the induction of RALDH2 by TAL1 and LMO, and these three factors formed a complex in vivo. Furthermore, a TAL1 mutant Collectively, we have identified the RALDH2 gene as a first example of direct transcriptional target genes regulated by TAL1 and LMO in T-ALL. In this case, TAL1 and LMO act as cofactors for GATA3 to activate the transcription of RALDH2.

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We previously reported that the role of reactive oxygen intermediates (ROIs) in NF-kappaB activation by proinflammatory cytokines was cell specific. However, the sources for ROIs in various cell types are yet to be determined and 5-LOX and 5-LOX activating protein (FLAP) are coexpressed in lymphoid cells but Stimulation of lymphoid cells with interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) led to ROI production and NF-kappaB activation, which could both be blocked by antioxidants or FLAP inhibitors, confirming that 5-LOX was the source of ROIs and was required for NF-kappaB activation in these cells. IL-1beta stimulation of epithelial cells did However, reintroduction of a functional 5-LOX system in these cells allowed ROI production and 5-LOX-dependent NF-kappaB activation. In monocytic cells, IL-1beta treatment led to a production of ROIs which is independent of the 5-LOX enzyme but requires the NADPH oxidase activity. This pathway involves the Rac1 and Cdc42 GTPases, two enzymes In conclusion, three different cell-specific pathways lead to NF-kappaB activation by IL-1beta: a pathway dependent on ROI production by 5-LOX in lymphoid cells, an ROI- and 5-LOX-independent pathway in epithelial cells, and a pathway requiring ROI production by NADPH oxidase in monocytic cells.

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The anaphylatoxins C5a and C3a are involved in the regulation of cytokine production. In this study the capability of C5a and C3a to induce transcription factor activation was examined. C5a and C3a stimulation of human peripheral blood monocytes resulted in nuclear expression of a DNA binding activity with specificity to the kappaB sequence. The p50 and p65 proteins, constituents of the prototypic nuclear factor kappaB, were identified as components of the DNA-protein complexes by anti-peptide antibodies in gel supershift assays. C5a induced kappaB binding activity was detected 15 min after agonist stimulation, peaked at 30-40 min, and remained detectable at 2 h. Binding to kappaB sequence was accompanied by an initial decrease and subsequent increase in the cytoplasmic IkappaBalpha levels, as detected by Western blotting using an anti-IkappaBalpha antibody. Pertussis toxin treatment markedly decreased kappaB binding activities induced by both C5a and C3a, whereas cholera toxin displayed These results

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Hydroxyurea (HU) is an antitumor agent which also induces hemoglobinization during erythroid differentiation. In addition, HU stimulates the synthesis of fetal hemoglobin in sickle cell anemia patients. To further understand its mechanism of action, we investigated the effects of HU on regulation of c-jun expression prior to the onset of erythroid differentiation of K562 cells. HU induced a dose-dependent stimulation of c-jun synthesis. The levels of c-jun mRNA was elevated 4 to 7.5-fold by HU within 2 h. This was followed by a gradual decline to the basal level by 24 h. Both nuclear run-on and actinomycin D pulse experiments strongly In addition, the level of jun protein was elevated by 2 to 5-fold within 4 h in HU treated cells. Furthermore, concentrations of HU below 250 microM slightly increased the 5X AP-1/CAT activity. These results strongly

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The PML gene is fused to the retinoic acid receptor alpha gene (RAR alpha) in the acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) 15 ; 17 translocation. PML is expressed in diverse tissues and cell lines and localized in the nucleus with a typical speckled pattern. In the bone marrow, it is preferentially expressed in myeloid cells. Similarly, interferons could act on APL cells, alone or in combination with all-trans retinoic acid (RA), especially if the PML/RAR alpha fusion transcript that results from the t(15;17) is induced by interferon. We report here that PML is expressed at low levels or

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The Ca(2+)-dependent phosphatase calcineurin, a target of FK506 and CsA, synergizes with PKC-induced activation of nuclear factor (NF)-kappa B in T cell lines. We have investigated While this synergy is present in other cell types, in the monocytic cell line U937 calcineurin is also sufficient to activate NF-kappa B. Having previously shown that Ca(2+)- and PKC-dependent pathways synergize by accelerating the degradation of IkB alpha, we focused on the regulation of IkB alpha phosphorylation. While PKC-dependent pathways sequentially result in the phosphorylation and in an incomplete degradation of IkB alpha in T cell lines, co-activation of Ca(2+)-dependent pathways accelerates the rate of IkB alpha phosphorylation and results in its complete degradation. Activation of Ca(2+)-dependent pathways alone do Treatment of T cells with the selective PKC inhibitor GF109203X abrogates the PMA-induced IkB alpha phosphorylation/degradation irrespective of activation of Ca(2+)-dependent pathways, but Contrary to the interaction with PKC, Ca(2+)-dependent pathways synergize with TNF-alpha These results

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To understand the role of NF-kappa B complexes in T cell development and activation, we have generated transgenic mice in which RelA and c-Rel complexes were selectively inhibited in the T-lineage cells by specific expression of a trans-dominant form of I kappa B alpha. Transgene expression did Analysis of IL-2 and IL-2R alpha expression demonstrated that the perturbation of the proliferation response was In contrast, expression of IL-4, IL-10, and IFN-gamma was strongly inhibited in the transgenic T cells. The proliferative deficiency of the transgenic T cells was associated with an increased apoptosis. These results point out the involvement of NF-kappa B/Rel family proteins in growth signaling pathways by

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The lymphoid src kinase pp56(lck) has been shown to be essential for the induction of different T lymphocyte responses, including CD4-mediated enhancement of Ag-induced T cell activation, early T cell differentiation, induction of IL-2 production, and cytotoxicity. However, it has been recently reported that the NH2 regulatory domain is sufficient to mediate CD4 accessory function. In this report we address the contribution of the regulatory and catalytic domains of pp56(lck) to another function of this enzyme independent of CD4: TCR-induced IL-2 production. Two pp56(lck) mutants Only the catalytic, but Moreover, the catalytic domain of pp56(lck) was able to induce IL-2 cytokine production to an extent similar to that of wild-type pp56(lck). We conclude that different domains of the pp56(lck) molecule contribute to regulate distinct biologic functions. In fact, while the NH2 regulatory domain is sufficient to mediate CD4 accessory function, we show here that the catalytic domain of pp56(lck) is sufficient for induction of IL-2 production, mimicking TCR ligation.

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Tepoxalin is a new dual cyclooxygenase/5-lipoxygenase anti-inflammatory compound currently under clinical investigation. It has been shown to possess anti-inflammatory activity in a variety of animal models and more recently to inhibit IL-2 induced signal transduction. The current study was conducted to evaluate the cytokine modulating activity of tepoxalin and the role of iron in these effects. In human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) stimulated with OKT3/PMA, tepoxalin inhibited lymphocyte proliferation with an IC50 of 6 microM. Additionally, it inhibited the production of LTB4 (IC50 = 0.5 microM) and the cytokines IL-2, IL-6 and TNF alpha (IC50 = 10-12 microM). Add-back experiments with either cytokines (IL-2 or IL-6), LTB4 or conditioned media However, the concurrent addition of iron (in the form of ferrous or ferric chloride and other iron salts) reversed the inhibition of proliferation caused by tepoxalin. Tepoxalin also inhibits the activation of NF kappa B, a transcription factor which acts on several cytokine genes. Tepoxalin's effect on NF kappa B is also reversed by the addition of iron salts. These data

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Productive human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection causes sustained NF-kappaB DNA-binding activity in chronically infected monocytic cells. A direct temporal correlation exists between HIV infection and the appearance of NF-kappaB DNA-binding activity in myelomonoblastic PLB-985 cells. To examine the molecular basis of constitutive NF-kappaB DNA-binding activity in HIV1-infected cells, we analyzed the phosphorylation and turnover of IkappaBalpha protein, the activity of the double-stranded RNA-dependent protein kinase (PKR) and the intracellular levels of NF-kappaB subunits in the PLB-985 and U937 myeloid cell models. HIV-1 infection resulted in constitutive, low-level expression of type 1 interferon (IFN) at the mRNA level. Constitutive PKR activity was also detected in HIV-1-infected cells as a result of low-level IFN production, since the addition of anti-IFN-alpha/beta antibody to the cells decreased PKR expression. Furthermore, the analysis of IkappaBalpha turnover demonstrated an increased degradation of IkappaBalpha in HIV-1-infected cells that A dramatic increase in the intracellular levels of NF-kappaB subunits c-Rel and NF-kappaB2 p100 and a moderate increase in NF-kappaB2 p52 and RelA(p65) were detected in HIV-1-infected cells, whereas We Nuclear translocation of NF-kappaB subunits Enhanced turnover of IkappaBalpha and the accumulation of NF-kappaB/Rel proteins

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The immunosuppressants cyclosporin A (CsA) and FK506 have been widely used to prevent and treat graft rejection after human organ and tissue transplantations. CsA and FK506 associate with intracellular binding proteins (i.e., CsA with cyclophilin A and FK506 with FKBP12) to form protein/drug complexes that suppress the immune system by preventing activation of T cells in response to antigen presentation. The common target of CsA and FK506 is calcineurin, a Ca2+/calmodulin-regulated, serine/threonine-specific protein phosphatase that regulates the nuclear import of a transcription factor, NF-AT, required for expression of T cell activation genes. In previous studies, we identified calcineurin mutations that block binding by the cyclophilin A/CsA or FKBP12/FK506 complexes and thereby render yeast cells resistant to the antifungal effects of CsA or FK506. In this report, we demonstrate that the corresponding mutations in murine calcineurin render the T cell receptor signal transduction cascade CsA resistant in human Jurkat T cells. Our findings support the recently determined calcineurin X-ray crystal structure, provide evidence that calcineurin is the only CsA-sensitive component limiting signaling from the T cell receptor to the nucleus, and

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Elf-1 is a lymphoid-specific transcription factor that belongs to the ETS protein family. It can bind to DNA target sequences within a variety of cytokine genes. We demonstrate that Elf-1 is constitutively localized in the nucleus which is dependent on the presence of amino acids 86-265. Analysis of Gal4-Elf-1 fusion proteins revealed that the N-terminal 86 amino acids of Elf-1 contain a transcriptional activation domain, the activity of which is attenuated by an internal repression domain. Furthermore, Elf-1 interacts specifically with the E74 target sequence and can stimulate transcription driven by the E74 site independent of mitogenic signaling. Thus, Elf-1 is able to stimulate gene transcription which

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IL-10 is a well-known immunosuppressive and/or anti-inflammatory cytokine. However, we report in vitro experimental studies in which IL-10 primed leukocytes and led to an enhanced production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) upon further stimulation by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Monocytes and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) prepared from whole blood maintained for 20 h at 37 degrees C in the presence of recombinant human IL-10 had an enhanced capacity to produce TNF in response to LPS. In addition to TNF, LPS-induced IL-6 and spontaneous IL-1ra production were also enhanced. When isolated PBMC were first cultured for 20 h in the presence of IL-10 on Teflon to prevent adherence, washed to remove IL-10 and then further cultured in plastic dishes for an additional 20 h in the presence of LPS or IL-1beta, an enhanced release of TNF was observed. This was TNF mRNA expression induced by LPS was decreased when the pre-treatment of PBMC with IL-10 was performed on plastic, whereas this was Furthermore, NFkappaB translocation following LPS activation was higher after IL-10 pre-treatment on Teflon than on plastic. Interestingly, an enhanced frequency of CD16 and CD68(+) cells among the CD14(+) cells was observed in the presence of IL-10, independently of the pre-culture conditions of the PBMC. Altogether, these results In contrast, the adherence parameter has

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OBJECTIVE : The aim was to explore the down-regulation of the glucocorticoid receptors during hypercortisolaemia in anorexia nervosa. DESIGN : Urine and plasma samples were obtained for cortisol determination and blood lymphocytes were isolated for receptor binding studies. PATIENTS : Sixteen anorexic patients, aged 16-27 years, with a mean ± SEM body mass index of 14.2 ± 2.0 (ranging from 11.1 to 17.4), and 15 normal women were studied. Six patients were reinvestigated after a significant weight gain. MEASUREMENTS : The binding capacity and affinity of the glucocorticoid receptors were measured with dexamethasone as ligand on lymphocytes. RESULTS : In patients, both total and free plasma cortisol concentrations were higher than in the normal women, as was their urinary free cortisol; the number of glucocorticoid receptors per cell (Ro) and the binding affinity (Kd) for dexamethasone were , however, not significantly different (Ro: 7687 ± 1750 vs 7347 ± 1285 sites/cell; Kd: 7.7 ± 2.4 vs 7.4 ± 1.7 nM at 24 degrees C). After weight gain (14 ± 2 to 16 ± 2 kg/m2), receptor numbers were 8421 ± 2126 (pre) and 9011 ± 500 (post) sites/cell, which are not significantly different (P greater than 0.2); the Kd was unchanged (9.3 ± 2.6 vs 9.2 ± 2.4 nM). CONCLUSIONS Hypercortisolaemia does

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Signals transduced via the TCR activate the transcription factor nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB), which, in turn, is critical to the transcriptional induction of many genes important for the proliferation and expression of a differentiated phenotype. Treatment of T cells with the protein kinase C activator PMA in combination with Ca2+ ionophores mimics this process, and the two agents are often substituted for TCR stimulation, bypassing the TCR. Here we identify intracellular signaling components involved in activation of NF-kappaB following TCR stimulation. TCR signaling was triggered by treating Jurkat T cells with PHA or anti-CD3 Abs, and NF-kappaB activation was monitored by electrophoretic mobility shift assays and/or by kappaB-dependent reporter assays. Contrary to the idea that protein kinase C is involved in TCR-mediated activation of NF-kappaB, high doses of staurosporine did PHA-induced kappaB-dependent reporter activity was , however, effectively blocked by a dominant negative form of Raf-1, The TCR-mediated activation of NF-kappaB was also dependent on a Ca2+ influx, because the Ca2+ channel blocker, SK&F 96365, as well as other agents that prevented the Ca2+ influx, inhibited NF-kappaB activation. Cotransfection of a constitutively active form of calcineurin largely substituted for the Ca2+ requirement and reversed the blockade by SK&F 96365. Consistent with these observations, coexpression of constitutively active forms of Raf-1 and calcineurin synergistically induced kappaB-dependent reporter activity,

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Activation of T cells results in a cascade of gene activation and subsequent proliferation and differentiation into effector phenotypes. The regulation of transcription factors belonging to the signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) family was analyzed in PHA-activated mononuclear cells and in purified T cells activated by cross-linking cell surface CD3. Cell activation resulted in a delayed induction of STAT DNA-binding activity, which was sustained for several days, was composed predominantly of Stat1 and Stat3, and was blocked by cycloheximide and actinomycin D. Increased Stat1 and Stat3 mRNA and protein levels were detected, respectively 4 and 24 h after activation. Stimulation of the cAMP signal transduction pathway, which skews cytokine production toward a Th2 pattern, resulted in the preferential suppression of Stat1 activity. cAMP inhibited the induction of expression of IL-2 receptor components, but did cAMP signaling inhibited Stat1 at several different levels, including suppression of DNA binding and down-regulation of Stat1 protein and mRNA levels. Our results demonstrate the regulation of STAT activity by a signaling pathway that regulates the T cell functional phenotype and is distinct from the cytokine-activated Janus kinase-STAT signaling pathway.

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Treatment of human B lymphocytes with an optimal concentration of okadaic acid, an inhibitor of phosphatases 1 and 2A, resulted in the induction of the transcription factor, AP-1 and a marked increase in NF-kappa B levels. In contrast, Since both AP-1 and NF-kappa B have been reported to be important in the induction of the tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) gene we examined the effects of okadaic acid on TNF-alpha mRNA levels. Treatment with okadaic acid resulted in a striking increase in TNF-alpha mRNA transcripts within 1 h of stimulation and large amounts of TNF-alpha were released into the culture media. Although okadaic acid provides a potent inductive signal for AP-1 and NF-kappa B it did

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A proportion of HIV-infected individuals experience episodes of localized or systemic bacterial infections caused by Gram-negative bacteria. Many of the clinical side effects of these infections are associated with the production of proinflammatory cytokines, which are induced primarily by LPS, a constituent of the bacterial cell wall of Gram-negative bacteria. The present study examines the mechanisms involved in LPS-mediated induction of HIV expression in U1 cells, a promonocytic cell line chronically infected with HIV. Stimulation of U1 cells by LPS alone induced minimal levels of HIV expression, which was significantly enhanced by granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). Costimulation of U1 cells with LPS plus GM-CSF resulted in the accumulation of steady-state levels of HIV RNA; however, only a weak induction of HIV long terminal repeat-driven transcription, Costimulation of cells with LPS plus GM-CSF induced the production of proinflammatory cytokines, IL-8, IL-1 beta and IL-6, but IL-1 receptor antagonist (ra) inhibited LPS enhancement of HIV expression in GM-CSF-stimulated cells, In this regard, anti-inflammatory cytokines inhibited LPS plus GM-CSF-stimulated HIV expression, and this effect closely correlated with inhibition of IL-1 beta release and, in particular, with up-regulation of endogenous IL-1ra production. Thus, the balance between an endogenously produced viral inducer (IL-1 beta ) and an inhibitor (IL-1ra)

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The interleukin 2 receptor alpha-chain (IL-2R alpha) gene is a key regulator of lymphocyte proliferation. IL-2R alpha is rapidly and potently induced in T cells in response to mitogenic stimuli. Interleukin 2 (IL-2) stimulates IL-2R alpha. transcription, thereby amplifying expression of its own high-affinity receptor. IL-2R alpha transcription is at least in part controlled by two positive regulatory regions, PRRI and PRRII. PRRI is an inducible proximal enhancer, located between nucleotides -276 and -244, which contains NF-kappaB and SRE/CArG motifs. PRRII is a T-cell-specific enhancer, located between nucleotides -137 and -64, which binds the T-cell-specific Ets protein Elf-1 and HMG-I(Y) proteins. However, none of these proximal regions account for the induction of IL-2R alpha transcription by IL-2. To find new regulatory regions of the IL-2R alpha gene, 8.5 kb of the 5' end noncoding sequence of the IL-2R alpha gene have been sequenced. We identified an 86-nucleotide fragment that is 90 % identical to the recently characterized murine IL-2-responsive element (mIL-2rE). This PRRIII contains a Stat protein binding site that overlaps with an EBS motif (GASd/EBSd). These are essential for IL-2 inducibility of PRRIII/CAT reporter constructs. IL-2 induced the binding of Stat5a and b proteins to the human GASd element. To confirm the physiological relevance of these findings, we carried out in vivo footprinting experiments which showed that stimulation of IL-2R alpha expression correlated with occupancy of the GASd element. Our data demonstrate a major role of the GASd/EBSd element in IL-2R alpha regulation and

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The Tat protein of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is a potent activator of long terminal repeat-directed transcription. While in most cell types, activation requires interaction of Tat with the unusual transcription element TAR, astrocytic glial cells support TAR-independent transactivation of HIV-1 transcription by Tat. This alternative pathway of Tat activation is mediated by the viral enhancer, a kappa B domain capable of binding the prototypical form of the transcription factor nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappa B) present in many cell types, including T lymphocytes. Tat transactivation mediated by the kappa B domain is sufficient to allow replication of TAR-deleted mutant HIV-1 in astrocytes. The present study demonstrates the existence of kappa B-specific binding factors present in human glial astrocytes that differ from prototypical NF-kappa B. The novel astrocyte-derived kappa B-binding activity is retained on an HIV-1 Tat affinity column, while prototypical NF-kappa B from Jurkat T cells is In vitro transcription studies demonstrate that astrocyte-derived kappa B-binding factors activate transcription of the HIV-1 long terminal repeat and that this activation is dependent on the kappa B domain. Moreover, TAR-independent transactivation of HIV-1 transcription is reproduced in vitro in an astrocyte factor-dependent manner which correlates with kappa B-binding activity. The importance of the central nervous system-enriched kappa B transcription factor in the regulation of HIV-1 expression is discussed.

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Tissue-specific expression of interleukin-3 (IL-3) is mediated via cis-acting elements located within 315 base pairs of the transcription start. This is achieved in part through the positive activities of the AP-1 and Elf-1 sites in the IL-3 promoter. The contribution to T cell-specific expression by other promoter sites was assessed in a transient expression assay with IL-3 promoter constructs linked to a luciferase gene, focusing initially on the core binding factor (CBF) site, which is footprinted in vivo upon T cell activation. Activity of the CBF site is shown to be critically dependent on the adjacent activator site Act-1. Together the Act-1 and CBF sites form a functional unit (AC unit) with dual activity. The AC unit is demonstrated to enhance basal activity of promoters both in fibroblasts and T cells. This activity is further inducible in activated T cells, but In addition to the already identified NIP repressor site, evidence is presented for a second repressor region that restricts promoter activity in fibroblasts. Finally, a novel positive regulatory element has been mapped in the IL-3 promoter between nucleotide -180 and -210 that leads to increased expression in T cells. Together these results demonstrate that T cell expression of IL-3 is

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NF-kappa B, a 50 kDa/65 kDa (p50/p65) heterodimer, is a ubiquitous transcription factor involved in the positive regulation of various immune genes. The aim of this study was to determine Using in situ hybridization on sections from non HIV hyperplastic lymph nodes, we found that the gene of the 105 kDa precursor of p50 was overexpressed in the light zone of germinal centers, with a network aspect, which By immunohistochemistry, p50 protein was detected in the cytoplasm and nucleus of FDC, confirming the involvement of FDC. Furthermore, p50 protein was detected in the cytoplasm of all lymphocytes. Thus, we focused our study on isolated FDC clusters from normal tonsils. As showed on tissue sections, we detected the p50 in both cytoplasm and nucleus of FDC. Nuclei of lymphocytes from FDC clusters were negative. We next studied p65 and c-Rel protein expression in FDC clusters. p65 was detected in the cytoplasm of FDC, whereas nuclei were negative. Furthermore, p65 was detected in the nuclei of some lymphocytes. c-Rel protein was detected only in the cytoplasm of lymphocytes and Our results These results

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The number of estrogen receptors (ER) in human peripheral leucocytes in 12 women with menopausal type II diabetes was measured with radio-ligand binding method. The results were compared with those of 12 menopausal women It was found that the number of ER in the patients was significantly decreased. Our data

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We have identified a novel gene, GR6, located within the leukemia breakpoint region of 3q21, that is normally expressed in early fetal development but GR6 is activated in the UCSD-AML1 cell line and in a leukemic sample, both of which carry a t(3;3)(q21;q26). In UCSD-AML1, we have also identified fusion transcripts between the ecotropic viral insertion site I (EVI1) gene in 3q26 and GR6 and between EVI1 and Ribophorin I that maps 30 kb telomeric to GR6 in 3q21. All fusions splice the 5' ends of the 3q21 genes into exon 2 of the EVI1 gene, an event that is similar to the normal intergenic splicing of MDS1-EVI1 and to those previously documented in leukemias with t(3;21) and t(3;12), in which acute myelogenous leukemia 1-EVI1 fusions and ETV6-EVI1 fusions, respectively, occur. The Ribophorin I-EVI1 fusion in particular

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The GATA-3 transcription factor is required for development of the T-cell lineage and Th2 cytokine gene expression in CD4 T-cells. We have mapped the DNase-I-hypersensitive (HS) regions of the human GATA-3 gene in T-cells and non-T-cells and studied their transcriptional activities. HS I-III, located 5' from the transcriptional initiation site, were found in hematopoietic and non-hematopoietic cells, whereas HS IV-VII, located 3' from the transcriptional start site, were exclusively observed in T-cells. Among these hypersensitive sites, two transcriptional control elements were found, one in the first intron of the GATA-3 gene and the other between 8.3 and 5.9 kilobases 5' from the GATA-3 transcriptional initiation site. The first intron acted as a strong transcriptional activator in a position-dependent manner and with The upstream regulatory element could confer T-cell specificity to the GATA-3 promoter activity, and analysis of this region revealed a 707-base pair silencer that drastically inhibited GATA-3 promoter activity in non-T-cells. Two CAGGTG E-boxes, located at the 5'- and 3'-ends of the silencer, were necessary for this silencer activity. The 3'-CAGGTG E-box could bind USF proteins, the ubiquitous repressor ZEB, or the basic helix-loop-helix proteins E2A and HEB, and we showed that a competition between ZEB and E2A/HEB proteins is involved in the silencer activity.

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Proteins of the ATF/CREB class of transcription factors stimulate gene expression of several cell growth-related genes through protein kinase A-related cAMP response elements. The promoter activity of cell cycle regulated histone H4 genes is regulated by at least four principal cis-acting elements which mediate G1/S phase control and/or enhancement of transcription during the cell cycle. Using protein-DNA interaction assays we show that the H4 promoter contains two ATF/CREB recognition motifs which interact with CREB, ATF1, and ATF2 but One ATF/CRE motif is located in the distal promoter at the nuclear matrix-associated Site IV, and the second motif is present in the proximal promoter at Site I. Both ATF/CRE motifs overlap binding sequences for the multifunctional YY1 transcription factor, which has previously been shown to be nuclear matrix associated. Subnuclear fractionation reveals that there are two ATF1 isoforms Site-directed mutational studies demonstrate that Site I and Site IV together support ATF1- and CREB-induced trans-activation of the H4 promoter. Thus, our data establish that ATF/CREB factors functionally modulate histone H4 gene transcription at distal and proximal promoter elements.

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Phenylarsine oxide (PAO), which is described as an inhibitor of tyrosine phosphatase activity, inhibits H2O2 release from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) as measured by electrochemistry. Since human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) replication is known to be favored under oxidative stress conditions, ex vivo experiments using uninfected PBMCs, primary monocytes or a latently infected promonocytic U1 cell line show that HIV-1 replication and reactivation, monitored by p24 antigen measurement, are inhibited by PAO in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. These observations can be linked with the inhibition of NF-kappa B activation when uninfected monocytes are induced by either tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS).

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Glucocorticoids (GC) have long been used as the most effective agents for the treatment of allergic diseases accompanied by eosinophilia such as chronic asthma and atopic dermatitis. The development of chronic eosinophilic inflammation is dependent on interleukin-5 (IL-5), a selective eosinophil-activating factor, produced by helper T cells. To delineate the regulatory mechanisms of human IL-5 synthesis, we established allergen-specific CD4+ T-cell clones from asthmatic patients. GC efficiently suppressed IL-5 synthesis of T-cell clones activated via either T-cell receptor (TCR) or IL-2 receptor (IL-2R). Induction of IL-5 mRNA upon TCR and IL-2R stimulation was totally inhibited by dexamethasone. Human IL-5 promoter/enhancer-luciferase gene construct transfected to T-cell clones was transcribed on either TCR or IL-2R stimulation and was clearly downregulated by dexamethasone, Electrophoretic mobility shift assay analysis NF-AT and NF-kappaB were not significantly induced by IL-2 stimulation. Our results showing that GC suppressed IL-5 production by human CD4+ T cells activated by two distinct stimuli, TCR and IL-2R stimulation, underscore the efficacy of GC in the treatment of allergic diseases via suppression of T-cell IL-5 synthesis.

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Stimulation of the human monocytic cell line Mono Mac 6 with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) leads to rapid and transient expression of cytokines like tumor necrosis factor (TNF). When such cells are precultured for 2 days with a low dose of LPS (20 ng/ml) followed by stimulation with a high dose of LPS (1 microgram/ml), expression of the TNF gene is minimal, i.e. the cells are tolerant. In nuclear run-on analysis, such tolerant cells show only a low degree of transcription, The CD14 LPS receptor is, however, up-regulated ( Resolution of the NF-kappa B complex in gel shift analysis shows that the binding protein, mobilized in naive Mono Mac 6 cells, consists mainly of p50-p65 heterodimers, while in tolerant cells, the p50 homodimer is predominant. This increase in p50 homodimers coincides with an increase in p105 mRNA, Reporter gene analysis reveals that the NF-kappa B complex mobilized in tolerant cells is functionally inactive in that NF-kappa B-dependent luciferase constructs containing the human immunodeficiency virus long terminal repeat or the TNF 5'-region show only minimal transactivation after LPS stimulation. Similar to Mono Mac 6 cells, primary blood monocytes, when precultured with a low dose of LPS, also become tolerant and produce little TNF after LPS stimulation. The tolerant blood monocytes also up-regulate CD14, and they mobilize NF-kappa B with a predominance of p50 homodimers. Taken together, these results demonstrate that tolerance to LPS is determined by post-receptor mechanisms that involve an altered composition of the NF-kappa B complex.

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The relationship between glucocorticoid effect and regulation of cell surface antigens was investigated in two models of leukemic cell lines, CEM C7 denoted (r+, ly+) and CEM C1 (r+, ly-). The reactivity of murine monoclonal antibodies, anti-CD4-FITC, anti-CD8-FITC, anti-CD2-FITC and anti-calla-FITC, were analyzed using flow cytometry. The suppressor function was determined using [3H]thymidine incorporation into phytohemagglutinin-activated peripheral blood lymphocytes. Dexamethasone treatment of a human leukemic cell clone CEM C7 caused an increase in a subset of cells expressing the surface antigen CD8, which is present on suppressor and cytotoxic T-lymphocytes. By comparison, there was After two days of treatment with 5 x 10(-8) M dexamethasone, CEM C7 cells showed a two-fold increase in suppressor activity compared to untreated cells. In contrast, there was Furthermore, In the human leukemic cells studied here, the ability to induce CD8 antigen expression in a CD4+ cells correlates with the ability to induce cell lysis in a glucocorticoid receptor positive cell population.

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We show that in the human T lymphoblastic tumor cell line Molt4 c-myc mRNA and protein expression is down-regulated after exposure to dimethyl sulfoxide, to phorbol myristate acetate, or to the calcium ionophore A23187, which raises the intracellular calcium concentration. A block to RNA elongation is largely responsible for decreased c-myc transcription. Although negative regulation by dimethyl sulfoxide takes place even when protein synthesis is inhibited by cycloheximide, the phorbol myristate acetate effect is blocked to some extent only by cycloheximide. The calcium ionophore-induced c-myc suppression, however, strictly requires de novo protein synthesis. Therefore, two different negative regulatory pathways are involved in c-myc regulation: one which is independent and one which depends on de novo protein synthesis.

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In a subject with primary cortisol resistance we have observed glucocorticoid receptors (hGR) with a decreased affinity for dexamethasone. We hypothesize that a mutation of the hGR glucocorticoid-binding domain is the cause of cortisol resistance. Total RNA isolated from the index subject 's mononuclear leukocytes was used to produce first strand hGR cDNAs, and the entire hGR cDNA was amplified in segments and sequenced. At nucleotide 2,317 we identified a homozygous A for G point mutation that When the wild-type hGR and hGR-Ile 729 were expressed in COS-1 cells and assayed for [3H]-Dexamethasone binding, the dissociation constants were 0.799 ± 0.068 and 1.54 ± 0.06 nM (mean ± SEM) (P < 0.01), respectively. When the wild-type hGR and hGR-Ile 729 were expressed in CV-1 cells that were cotransfected with the mouse mammary tumor virus long terminal repeat fused to the chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT) gene, the hGR-Ile 729 conferred a fourfold decrease in apparent potency on dexamethasone stimulation of CAT activity. The isoleucine for valine substitution at amino acid 729 impairs the function of the hGR and is the

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Intracellular signals that mediate differentiation of pluripotent hemopoietic progenitors to dendritic cells (DC) are largely undefined. We have previously shown that protein kinase C (PKC) activation (with phorbol ester (PMA) alone) specifically induces differentiation of primary human CD34+ hemopoietic progenitor cells (HPC) to mature DC. We now find that cytokine-driven (granulocyte-macrophage CSF and TNF-alpha) CD34+ HPC-->DC differentiation is preferentially blocked by inhibitors of PKC activation. To further identify intracellular signals and downstream events important in CD34+ HPC-->DC differentiation we have characterized a human leukemic cell line model of this process. The CD34+ myelomonocytic cell line KG1 differentiates into dendritic-like cells in response to granulocyte-macrophage CSF plus Phenotypic DC characteristics of KG1 dendritic-like cells include morphology (loosely adherent cells with long neurite processes), MHC I+/MHC IIbright/CD83+/CD86+/CD14- surface Ag expression, and RelB and DC-CK1 gene expression. Functional DC characteristics include fluid phase macromolecule uptake (FITC-dextran) and activation of resting T cells. Comparison of KG1 to the PMA-unresponsive subline KG1a reveals differences in expression of TNF receptors 1 and 2; PKC isoforms alpha, beta I, beta II, and mu; and RelB, Together, these findings demonstrate that

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We have earlier shown that stimulation of human CD4+ T cells with SEA presented on Chinese hamster ovary (CHO)-DR transfectants coexpressing either B7 or LFA-3 resulted in distinct cytokine profiles. We now demonstrate that B7, but Maximal increase in IL-2 transcription was recorded with CHO-DR/B7/LFA-3, Gel-shift analysis demonstrated that stimulation of CD4+ T cells with CHO-DR and staphylococcal enterotoxin A was sufficient to induce significant amounts of NF-kappa B binding proteins, whereas induction of AP-1 binding proteins required costimulation. LFA-3 induced moderate levels of AP-1, but did The CHO-DR/B7/LFA-3 triple transfectant induced a further increase in AP-1 and NF-kappa B binding proteins compared with the double transfectants. The level of Oct-1 binding proteins remained similar in all samples. Super-shift analysis revealed that the NF-kappa B complex of costimulated CD4+ T cells contained large amounts of p50, substantial amounts of p65, and marginal levels of c-Rel proteins. The AP-1 binding proteins contained c-Jun, Jun-D, and Fra-1, but marginal amounts of Jun-B and c-Fos. Our results indicate distinct effects of B7 and LFA-3 costimulation on the activity of AP-1 and NF-kappa B. These

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The three-dimensional positioning of immunoglobulin (Ig) genes within the nucleus of human cells was investigated using in situ hybridization and confocal microscopy. The visualization of heavy and light chain genes in B-lymphoid cells showed that the three Ig genes are differentially and nonrandomly distributed in different nuclear subvolumes: the kappa genes were found to be preferentially confined to an outer nuclear volume, whereas the gamma and lambda genes consistently occupied more central positions within the nucleus, the lambda genes being more interior when compared with the gamma genes. The data further show that these overall topographical distributions are independent of gene transcriptional activity and are conserved in different cell types. Although

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Human lysosomal acid lipase (LAL) is a hydrolase required for the cleavage of cholesteryl esters and triglycerides derived from plasma lipoproteins. It is shown here that during monocyte to macrophage differentiation, the expression of LAL-mRNA is induced. This induction is dependent on protein kinase C activity and protein synthesis. The cell type-specific increase in LAL expression is further investigated in the THP-1 cell line with respect to transcriptional regulation. The human monocytic leukemia cell line THP-1 differentiates into macrophage-like cells when treated with phorbol esters. In order to determine the cis-acting elements necessary for both basal and phorbol 12-myristate-13 acetate (PMA)-enhanced promoter activity, we performed deletion analysis and reporter gene assays. A PMA responsive element has been identified between -182 bp and -107 bp upstream of the major transcription start site. Gel mobility shift assays demonstrated that binding of Sp1 and AP-2 to the LAL promoter is increased by PMA in THP-1 cells. Co-transfections with expression plasmids for Sp1 and AP-2 further emphasized the important role of these transcription factors in both basal and PMA-enhanced LAL expression. Our data

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Recombinant human tumor necrosis factor (TNF) binding protein-1 (r-h TBP-1) and recombinant human soluble dimeric TNF receptor (rhu TNFR:Fc) were used to determine the relative contributions of TNF to phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) and cytokine-induced human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) replication in chronically infected cell lines. Treatment of HIV-1-infected promonocytic U1 cells with r-h-TBP-1 or rhu TNFR:Fc reduced PMA-induced HIV-1 p24 antigen production in a concentration-dependent manner, with a maximal inhibition of approximately 90%. Maximal inhibition of p24 antigen production in T-lymphocytic ACH-2 cells was 47% with r-hTBP-1 and 42% with rhu TNFR:Fc. r-hTBP-1 and rhu TNFR:Fc also decreased p24 antigen synthesized by U1 cells in response to other stimuli, including phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-induced supernatant, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, interleukin-6, and TNF. Addition of r-hTBP-1 to U1 cells during the last 4 h of a 24 h incubation with PMA still inhibited p24 antigen production by 15%. U1 cells stimulated with 10(-7) M PMA released approximately 1 ng/ml endogenous TBP-1 with an initial peak observed at 1 h and a second peak at 24 h after PMA stimulation. r-hTBP-1 also partially reversed inhibition of U1 cellular proliferation caused by PMA. Both r-hTBP-1 and rhu TNFR:Fc blocked PMA induction of nuclear factor (NK)- kappa B DNA-binding activity in U1 cells in association with decreases in HIV-1 replication. We conclude that soluble TNF receptors can inhibit stimuli-induced HIV-1 expression and NK- kappa B DNA-binding activity in chronically infected U1 cells.

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Much attention has recently focused on the observation that UV light can activate the long terminal repeat (LTR) of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Although the mechanism of LTR activation remains obscure, several lines of investigation have In this report, we present data demonstrating that HIV LTR activation is Furthermore, we demonstrate that several of these agents can significantly increase HIV replication and accelerate CD4-positive lymphocyte cytotoxicity in vitro. These findings, therefore,

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The cytokine TNF mediates many of the pathologic signs of cachexia, inflammation, and sepsis. The current work describes the regulation of TNF in human myelomonocytic cell lines after PMA stimulation. The cell lines exhibit a low level of constitutive TNF mRNA expression. Within 2 to 4 h of PMA exposure, steady state levels of TNF mRNA are markedly elevated in all myelomonocytic cell lines studied. This rise is due to increased mRNA stability, which increased by almost twofold, and to an overall increase in transcription, which rises by more than sixfold. At the level of the genomic TNF gene, a DNase I hypersensitive site is detected within the TNF promoter between -200 to -100 bp relative to the transcription initiation site. Although absent in nonexpressing erythroleukemia cell lines, the DNase I site is present in uninduced myelomonocytic cell lines and The PMA induction of c-fos mRNA correlated well with TNF gene induction; expression of genes encoding other proteins in the AP-1 complex (junB and junD) were also induced by PMA. The nuclear extracts from resting and induced ML-1 cells contain proteins binding specifically to the AP-1, AP-2, and NF kappa B sequence located within the TNF promoter. PMA induction increases the level of a number of specific binding complexes relative to the resting cells. The regulatory mechanisms of the human and murine TNF genes are discussed.

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The cascade of events within the first few minutes of T cell stimulation has been well characterized. Although many second messengers have been shown to be necessary and sufficient for T cell activation in a number of model systems, To model effective versus ineffective CD3-mediated stimulation in peripheral T cells, we used two anti-CD3 mAbs that differ in their ability to stimulate purified T cells: OKT3, which causes early second messenger generation but We found that tyrosine kinase activity was similar for both mAbs over a period of hours. However, the inositol phosphate response was stronger for 64.1 than for OKT3. To tie these events to gene activation, we measured NF-kappa B and NF-AT activity in the nucleus after anti-CD3 stimulation. Both stimuli induced the appearance of the NF-kappa B components (c-Rel, p65 (RelA), and p50 (NF-kappa B1)) and NF-kappa B DNA binding activity in the nucleus. However, only 64.1 induced NF-AT in the nucleus, correlating with its ability to activate T cells. Thus, NF-AT induction and IL-2 secretion were correlated with the levels of inositol phosphate release but On the other hand, NF-kappa B induction and IL-2 receptor expression occurred even with the smaller second messenger response generated by OKT3.

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BACKGROUND: Retinoic acid (RA) has important immune-modulating effects on both T and B cell function. Our laboratory has shown that RA can enhance in vitro polyclonal B cell immunoglobulin (Ig) response. Investigating cytokines known to affect B cell differentiation, we have recently shown that IL-6 production is augmented by RA. In the present study we have examined the immune modulating effects of RA on IL-2 mRNA, another important cytokine for B cell immunoglobulin production, the expression of IL-2 receptors on T cells, and the RA nuclear receptors. METHODS: Purified T cells were obtained from adenoidal tissues, and incubated with RA (10(-7) M) or DMSO solvent/media control for 0, 6-8, and 24 h. Total mRNA was extracted from T cells, and using RT-PCR, changes in the production of IL-2 and RA receptors (RAR)-alpha,beta,gamma mRNA were determined. The effects of RA on IL-2-alpha receptor expression was determined by flow cytometry on T cells. CONCLUSION: These studies Thus, IL-2

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Rapid tyrosine phosphorylation of key cellular proteins is a crucial event in the transduction of activation signals to T-lymphocytes. The regulatory role of protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPases) in this process was explored by studying the effects of a powerful PTPase inhibitor, vanadate peroxide (pervanadate), on the activation cascade of Jurkat human leukaemic T-cells. Pervanadate induced activation of the tyrosine kinases lck and fyn (4- and 3-fold respectively) and a dramatic increase in tyrosine phosphorylation of cellular proteins, notably phospholipase C gamma 1. After this event, we observed a rise in intracellular Ca2+ concentration, corresponding to an influx. This effect required surface expression of the CD45 PTPase and In the CD45-negative variant, the effect of pervanadate on tyrosine phosphorylation was globally decreased and some phosphorylated substrates were specifically missing. Pervanadate also stimulated transcription of the c-fos gene and accumulation of its mRNA as well as several other hallmarks of T-lymphocyte activation such as surface expression of the CD69 antigen and the interleukin 2 receptor alpha-chain (CD25). Pervanadate synergized with signals delivered Pervanadate activated NF-kappa B, as shown by an increase in DNA-binding activity of this transcription factor. We thus conclude that PTPases play a crucial role in the negative regulation of signal transduction culminating in T-lymphocyte activation. Moreover,

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NF-kB is a eukaryotic transcription regulatory factor. In T cells and T cell lines, NF-kB is bound to a cytoplasmic proteic inhibitor, the IkB. Treatment of T cells with mitogens (phorbol esters) or cytokines (TNF alpha) induces NF-kB nuclear translocation and the subsequent expression of NF-kB dependent T cell genes. Here we examined the activation of NF-kB in human T cell thymic progenitors. We report differences in (Ca2+)i requirement for NF-kB activation in thymocytes as compared to mature T cells. Furthermore, our results

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Infection of target cells with cytopathic viruses inhibits IFN induction of cytolytic resistance to NK cell-mediated cytolysis [IFN-mediated cytoprotection (IFN-MCP)]. It has been Group C , adenovirus serotype 5 (Ad5) infection inhibits both IFN-MCP and cellular protein synthesis. This study determined To test this hypothesis, 4-h NK cytolysis assays were performed on IFN-gamma-treated human cells infected with an Ad5 E1A deletion mutant, dl343, or transfected with the Ad5 E1A gene. In contrast to E1A-negative, parental cell lines, IFN-MCP was blocked in Ad5 E1A-transfected epithelial and fibroblastic cell lines. Genetic mapping studies within the E1A gene demonstrated that expression of only the first exon of E1A was sufficient to inhibit IFN-MCP. DNA sequence homology of E1A genes between different Ad groups (group A, Ad12; group C, Ad5) is limited almost entirely to three conserved regions located within the first exon of E1A. Because IFN-MCP was also blocked in Ad12 E1A-transfected cell lines, expression of one or more of the E1A-conserved regions In summary, the expression of E1A gene products inhibited IFN-MCP independently of virus infection. E1A's inhibition of IFN-MCP has the net effect of promoting the selective NK cell-mediated clearance of Ad-infected or Ad-transformed human cells.

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Functional studies in extra-renal, nonepithelial cells such as smooth muscle cells and more recently circulating human lymphocytes have provided increasing evidence that aldosterone produces not only classical genomic effects, but also rapid non-genomic effects on transmembrane electrolyte movements. These involve activation of the sodium/proton-exchanger of the cell membrane at very low, physiological concentrations of aldosterone with an acute onset within 1-2 minutes. A second messenger cascade involved is the inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate/calcium pathway which responds over the same rapid time course. In addition to its rapid time course the unique characteristics of this new pathway for steroid action include a 10000-fold selectivity for aldosterone over cortisol and the ineffectiveness of spironolactones, classical mineralocorticoid antagonists, as antagonists of the response. Subsequently binding sites have been demonstrated in the plasma membrane of human lymphocytes which show pharmacological (aldosterone specificity) and kinetic (high turnover) properties identical with those of the rapid aldosterone effects in the same cells. SDS-PAGE analysis of the receptor protein has shown a molecular weight of approximately 50 kD. The present paper reviews the data supporting a new, two-step model for non-genomic and genomic aldosterone effects. It also

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Human U-937 leukemia cells differentiate along the monocytic lineage following 3-day exposures to 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). This induction of differentiation is accompanied by adherence and loss of proliferation, as well as expression/repression of differentiation-associated genes. Long term culture of TPA-differentiated U-937 cells in the absence of phorbol ester for 32-36 days resulted in a process of retrodifferentiation. The retrodifferentiated cells detached from the substrate and reinitiated proliferation. Other cellular parameters, such as glycosidase activities, cytokine release, and filament expression, returned to levels similar to that observed in uninduced cells. Treatment of U-937 cells with TPA resulted in a rapid translocation of protein kinase C (PKC) from the cytosol to cell membrane fractions within 2-8 min. Increased levels of membrane-associated PKC activity persisted until 17-29 days. However, longer periods of incubation were associated with a return to the distribution of PKC in control cells. Activation of PKC has been implicated in the regulation of certain immediate early response genes, and in the present studies, TPA rapidly induced c-fos and c-jun gene expression. Levels of c-fos and c-jun transcripts remained elevated during periods of PKC activation and also returned to levels observed in control cells by 30-36 days, when the cells entered retrodifferentiation. Staurosporine, a nonspecific inhibitor of PKC, partially blocked TPA-induced adherence and growth inhibition and concomitantly prevented TPA-induced c-fos and c-jun gene expression.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

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It is known that sulfated polysaccharides can mimic the action of common T-cell mitogens. To investigate the molecular basis of the mitogenic effect of high molecular weight dextran sulfate (HMDS), monocyte-derived macrophages were transfected with recombinant plasmid containing chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT) reporter gene under the control of the HIV-1 long terminal repeat (LTR) promoter, which is regulated by transcription factor NF-kappaB. We observed that HMDS, similar to bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS), increases the expression of CAT reporter gene The activation of NF-kappaB correlated with the increased expression of B7.1 molecules. It was postulated that this NF-kappaB-regulated promoter

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Enforced expression of Id3, which has the capacity to inhibit many basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors, in human CD34(+) hematopoietic progenitor cells that have Here we document that overexpression of Id3, in progenitors that have initiated TCR gene rearrangements (pre-T cells), inhibits development into TCRalpha beta but Furthermore, Id3 impedes expression of recombination activating genes and downregulates pre-Talpha mRNA. These observations We also observed that cell surface CD4(-)CD8(-)CD3(-) cells with rearranged TCR genes developed from Id3-transduced but These cells had properties of both natural killer (NK) and pre-T cells. These findings

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Interleukin-10 (IL-10) helps maintain polarized T-helper cells in a T-helper lymphocyte 2 (Th2) phenotype. Part of this process involves the prevention of the development of Th1 cells, which are a primary source of interferon gamma (IFNgamma), a potent activator of monocytes and an inhibitor of Th2 proliferation. Because monocytes and macrophages are important mediators of Th1-type responses, such as delayed-type hypersensitivity, we sought to determine Highly purified monocytes were incubated with IL-10 for 60 to 90 minutes before the addition of IFNgamma or IFNalpha. IL-10 preincubation resulted in the inhibition of gene expression for several IFN-induced genes, such as IP-10, ISG54, and intercellular adhesion molecule-1. The reduction in gene expression resulted from the ability of IL-10 to suppress IFN-induced assembly of signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) factors to specific promoter motifs on IFNalpha- and IFNgamma-inducible genes. This was accomplished by preventing the IFN-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of STAT1, a component of both IFNalpha- and IFNgamma-induced DNA binding complexes. Therefore, IL-10 can directly inhibit STAT-dependent early response gene expression induced by both IFNalpha and IFNgamma in monocytes by suppressing the tyrosine phosphorylation of STAT1. This

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Death-inducing ligands (DILs) such as tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) or the cytotoxic drug doxorubicin have been shown to activate a nuclear factor kappaB (NFkappaB)-dependent program that We demonstrate here that TRAIL (TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand), a recently identified DIL, also activates NFkappaB in lymphoid cell lines in a kinetic similar to TNFalpha. NFkappaB activity is independent from FADD, caspases, and apoptosis induction. To study the influence of NFkappaB activity on apoptosis mediated by TRAIL, CD95, TNFalpha, or doxorubicin, NFkappaB activation was inhibited using the proteasome inhibitor N-acetyl-L-leucinyl-L-leucinyl-L-norleucinal or transient overexpression of mutant IkappaBalpha. Sensitivity for induction of apoptosis was markedly increased by these treatments in apoptosis sensitive cell lines. Moreover, both in cell lines and in primary leukemia cells that are resistant towards induction of apoptosis by DILs and doxorubicin, antagonization of NFkappaB activity partially restored apoptosis sensitivity. These data

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Plasma cortisol and aldosterone levels and number of related receptors in mononuclear leukocytes were measured in 49 healthy aged subjects (62-97 yr) and in 21 adult controls (21-50 yr). In all subjects, in addition, lymphocyte subsets were determined as an index of corticosteroid action. The mean number of type I and type II receptors was significantly lower in aged subjects than in controls (respectively, 198 ± 96 and 272 ± 97 receptors/cell for type I, and 1,794 ± 803 and 3,339 ± 918 for type II receptors). Plasma aldosterone and cortisol and lymphocyte subsets were All of the parameters were also tested for correlation, and a significant inverse correlation was found between age and type I and type II receptors when all subjects were plotted and between aged and CD4 and age and CD4/CD8 in the aged group. These data show that aged subjects have reductions of corticosteroid receptors that are

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Interleukin-3 (IL-3) is a cytokine that is expressed primarily in activated T cells. Here we identified an inducible T cell-specific enhancer 14 kb upstream of the IL-3 gene that responded to activation of T cell receptor signaling pathways. The IL-3 enhancer spanned an inducible cyclosporin A-sensitive DNase I-hypersensitive site found only in T cells. Four NFAT-like elements exist within the enhancer. The two most active NFAT-like elements were located at the center of the DNase I-hypersensitive site. One of these NFAT-like elements encompassed overlapping Oct- and NFATp/c-binding sites, which functioned in a highly synergistic manner. We

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