Regulation by serotonin of tooth-germ morphogenesis and gene expression in mouse mandibular explant cultures

Serotonin (5-HT) stimulates tooth-germ development in embryonic mouse mandibular explant cultures, but it is not clear whether this is due to a direct action on epithelial-mesenchymal interactions, or whether development was stimulated indirectly by serotonergic regulation of other morphoregulatory molecules. A calcium-binding protein, S-100beta, and the extracellular-matrix molecule, tenascin, two molecules thought to be important in craniofacial development, together with cartilage proteoglycan core protein, a marker for chondrogenesis, are modulated by serotonergic ligands in mandibular micromass cultures. Here, it was demonstrated that 5-HT stimulates expression of cartilage proteoglycan core protein, and inhibits expression of S-100beta and tenascin in mandibular explants. Further, ondansetron (Zofran), a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist, and NAN-190, a 5-HT1A antagonist, reversed the serotonergic stimulation of core protein and tooth germ development. In contrast serotonergic modulation of S-100beta and tenascin expression was not reversed by any of the 5-HT receptor antagonists tested, although the 5-HT uptake inhibitor, fluoxetine, did reverse the effect of 5-HT on S-100beta expression, as well as tooth-germ development. These results support previous work suggesting that 5-HT plays an important part in craniofacial development, especially in dentinogenesis and chondrogenesis. However, the possibility that tenascin or S-100beta mediate the effects of 5-HT on tooth-germ development is not supported. Rather, these results raise the possibility that 5-HT may exert effects directly on tooth-germ morphogenesis mediated by intracellular uptake of 5-HT and/or activation of 5-HT1A and 5-HT3 receptors.

A new continuous alternation task in T-maze detects hippocampal dysfunction in mice. A strain comparison and lesion study

The mammalian hippocampus has been the focus of several neurobiology studies because of its important behavioral function and because long-term potentiation (LTP) is a prominent feature of this brain region. Converging evidence suggests that hippocampal function is associated with learning multiple relationships of environmental cues. In this paper a novel behavioral test procedure is introduced, a modified T-maze continuous alternation task (T-CAT), that may serve as a simple, automatable, and quick test of hippocampal function in addition to the frequently applied water maze and fear conditioning paradigms. A comparison is made between mice (strain C57BL/6) with ibotenic acid lesioned or vehicle injected hippocampus, two transgenic strains (on CD1 background) overexpressing a calcium binding protein, S100beta, and inbred (C57BL/6, DBA/2, 129/SV and 129/SVEV) and outbred (CD1) strains of mice. This study shows that hippocampal lesioning led to a significant impairment in T-CAT. Furthermore, overexpression of S100beta, which impairs hippocampal LTP, also led to an impairment demonstrating that T-CAT is sensitive to detect hippocampal dysfunction. Analysis of the mouse strains revealed that C57BL/6 and CD1 mice performed well in T-CAT, whereas 129/SV, 129/SVEV and DBA/2 were significantly impaired, a finding that underscores the importance of strain differences in pharmacological or single gene manipulation studies of hippocampal function in mice.

Induction of S100b in myocardium: an intrinsic inhibitor of cardiac hypertrophy

Cardiac hypertrophy induced by pressure overload and following myocardial infarction entails regulation of myocardial gene expression, recapitulating an embryonic phenotype, including activation of fetal beta-myosin heavy chain and skeletal alpha-actin. Progressive hypertrophy and alterations in gene expression may contribute to myocardial failure. Although signaling pathways that contribute to hypertrophy development have been identified, intrinsic cardiac regulators that limit hypertrophic response have not been determined. The beta subunit of S100 protein is induced in the myocardium of human subjects and an experimental rat model following myocardial infarction. Forced S100 beta expression in neonatal rat cardiac myocyte cultures and high level expression of S100 beta in transgenic mice hearts inhibit cardiac hypertrophy and the associated phenotype by modulating protein kinase C-dependent pathways. S100 beta expression is probably a component of the myocyte response to trophic stimulation that serves as a negative feedback mechanism to limit cellular growth and the associated alterations in gene expression.

Hypomethylation of the metastasis-associated S100A4 gene correlates with gene activation in human colon adenocarcinoma cell lines

The DNA methylation status of the metastasis-associated S100A4 gene in S100A4-positive and -negative human colon adenocarcinoma cell lines was examined. Northern and Western blot analyses revealed that HT-29, SW480, SW620, WiDr and Colo201 cells expressed S100A4, whereas SW837, LoVo and DLD-1 cells expressed little S100A4. Using CpG methylation-sensitive and -insensitive restriction enzymes and PCR-based methylation assay, it was found that the S100A4 gene in HT-29, SW480, SW620, WiDr and Colo201 cells, but not in SW837, LoVo and DLD-1 cells, was hypomethylated and that the hypomethylation of the second intron was correlated well with the expression of S100A4. 5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine, an inhibitor of the eukaryotic DNA methyltransferase, induced the expression of the S100A4 gene in SW837, LoVo and DLD-1 cells, while it showed no effect on the expression of the gene in WiDr cells. These results indicate that hypomethylation of the S100A4 gene results in the expression of the gene in colon adenocarcinoma cells.

Expression of NOS, PSA-N-CAM and S100 protein in the granule cell migration pathway of the adult guinea pig forebrain

To investigate the possible role of nitric oxide (NO) in adult neurogenesis and neuron-glial migration in the rostral migratory stream (RMS), we used a double-labeled immunofluorescence technique together with confocal laser scanning microscopy, and examined the localization of nitric oxide synthase (NOS), the highly polysialylated isoform of neural cell adhesion molecule (PSA-N-CAM), and the astroglial marker in brain, S100 protein (S100), throughout the length of the subependymal layer (SEL) to olfactory bulb (OB) pathway of the adult guinea pig forebrain. Blast-like, beaded, clustered immature cellular elements stained for PSA-N-CAM and those having a typical astrocytic phenotypes positive for S100 protein were densely interlaced throughout the entire length of the SEL. Some S100 positive ependymoglial cells (tanycytes) gave off their basal projections into the closely packed PSA-N-CAM immunopositive clusters in the rostral extension of the subependymal zone (SEZre). The SEL was devoid of NOS immunoreactivity. A dense network of punctate, fenestrated and radially oriented immature cellular elements positive both for NOS and PSA-N-CAM intermingled and overlapped in the inner part of the internal granular layer (IGr), whereas in the outer part, PSA-N-CAM expression gradually diminished and the cells shifted to mature bipolar, spherical or spindle-shaped granule cells with uniform cellular contours, which were exclusively immunopositive for NOS. Radially oriented astroglial phenotypes were intertwined with PSA-N-CAM neuronal clusters in the SEL, and were closely apposed to NOS neuronal elements in the IGr. In summary, these results showed a distinct separation of neurons and glia as revealed by PSA-N-CAM and S100 protein immunostaining, and an inverse spatio-temporal correlation of expression between PSA-N-CAM (immature neuroblasts) and NOS (mature neurons) in the adult guinea pig RMS.

Activity of cyclic AMP phosphodiesterases and adenylyl cyclase in peripheral nerve after crush and permanent transection injuries

Recent studies demonstrate that cAMP levels are tightly controlled during demyelination and remyelination in Schwann cells as cAMP decreases to 8-10% of normal following both sciatic nerve crush or permanent transection injury and only begins to increase in the crushed nerve after remyelination (Poduslo, J. F., Walikonis, R. S., Domec, M., Berg, C. T., and Holtz-Heppelmann, C. J. (1995) J. Neurochem. 65, 149-159). To investigate the mechanisms responsible for this change in cAMP levels, cAMP phosphodiesterase (PDE) and adenylyl cyclase activities were determined before and after sciatic nerve injury. Basal cAMP PDE activity in soluble endoneurial homogenates of normal nerve was 34.9 +/- 1.9 pmol/mg of protein/min (chi +/- S.E.; n = 10). This activity increased about 3-fold within 6 days following both injuries. Basal PDE activity remained elevated in the transected nerve, but declined to 70 pmol/mg of protein/min in the crushed nerve at 21 and 35 days following injury. Isozyme-specific inhibitors and stimulators were used to identify the PDE families in the sciatic nerve. The low Km cAMP-specific (PDE4) and the Ca2+/calmodulin-stimulated (PDE1) families were found to predominate in assays using endoneurial homogenates. The PDE4 inhibitor rolipram also increased cAMP levels significantly after incubation of endoneurial tissue with various isozyme-specific inhibitors, indicating that PDE4 plays a major role in determining cAMP levels. PDE4 mRNA was localized by in situ hybridization to cells identified as Schwann cells by colabeling of S100, a Schwann cell specific protein. Adenylyl cyclase activity declined following injury, from 3.7 pmol/mg of protein/min in normal nerve to 0.70 pmol/mg/min by 7 days following injury. Both decreased synthesis and increased degradation contribute, therefore, to the reduced levels of cAMP following peripheral nerve injury and are likely critical to the process of Wallerian degeneration.

Ciliary neurotrophic factor stimulates astroglial hypertrophy in vivo and in vitro

After insult or trauma, astrocytes become activated and endeavor to restore the brain's delicately balanced microenvironment. An index of their activated state is that they become enlarged or hypertrophic. Ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF), a member of the alpha helical family of cytokines, is synthesized by astrocytes and is generally regarded to be an autocrine and paracrine injury signal. To determine whether CNTF might be an endogenous signal that stimulates astrocyte hypertrophy in vivo, we intracerebrally injected 200 ng of recombinant human CNTF into the adult rat neocortex. To study the astrocytes their cytosol was stained with antibodies against S100beta and their nuclei were stained with propidium iodide (PI). Fluorescent images of astrocytic nuclei and somas were acquired using a confocal laser-scanning microscope and their areas were measured using the NIH image software. Within 24 h of treatment, CNTF induced a volume increase of the somas and nuclei of protoplasmic and fibrous astrocytes in vivo, and this effect persisted for at least 48 h. To determine whether CNTF activates astrocytes directly, glial cultures were treated with CNTF (10 ng/ml) and were evaluated by measuring the area of PI stained nuclei. CNTF stimulation increased the size of both polygonal and process-bearing astroglia. Since our studies in vivo have shown that CNTF induces other key aspects of gliosis (S. W. Levison et al., 1996; Exp. Neurol. 141, 256), we conclude that CNTF is a powerful activator of astrocytes and that it is likely responsible for the persistent glial hypertrophy observed following injuries and diseases of the CNS.

A newly synthesized neurotropic pyrimidine compound, MS-818, may activate migratory schwann cells in peripheral nerve regeneration

Following transection of a peripheral nerve in mice, a newly synthesized neurotropic pyrimidine compound, MS-818 was administered intraperitoneally at a dose of 1 mg kg-1 b.wt. day-1. The film model experiments for analyzing the early growth of axonal regeneration suggested that MS-818 activated Schwann cells which migrate from the proximal stump, inducing axonal elongation in vivo.

Dorsal root ganglion nerve cells transiently express increased immunoreactivity of the calcium-binding protein S-100beta after sciatic nerve transection

Transiently increased immunoreactivity of the calcium binding protein S-100beta was demonstrated in spinal ganglion nerve cells after sciatic nerve transection. Neuropeptide Y (NPY), normally not seen in these nerve cells, appeared concomitantly. The transiently elevated co-expression of S-100beta and NPY is proposed to reflect an increased demand of neurotrophic and neuroprotective compounds in reactive neurons, tentatively regulating calcium ions.

Life-long overexpression of S100beta in Down's syndrome: implications for Alzheimer pathogenesis

Chronic overexpression of the neurite growth-promoting factor S100beta has been implicated in the pathogenesis of neuritic plaques in Alzheimer's disease. Such plaques are virtually universal in middle-aged Down's syndrome, making Down's a natural model of Alzheimer's disease. We determined numbers of astrocytes overexpressing S100beta, and of neurons overexpressing beta-amyloid precursor protein (beta-APP), and assayed for neurofibrillary tangles in neocortex of 20 Down's syndrome patients (17 weeks gestation to 68 years). Compared to controls, there were twice as many S100beta-immunoreactive (S100beta+) astrocytes in Down's patients at all ages: fetal, young, and adult (p = 0.01, or better, in each age group). These were activated (i.e., enlarged), and intensely immunoreactive, even in the fetal group. There were no neurofibrillary changes in fetal or young Down's patients. The numbers of S100beta+ astrocytes in young and adult Down's patients correlated with the numbers of neurons overexpressing beta-APP (p < 0.05). Our findings are consistent with the idea that conditions--including Down's syndrome--that promote chronic overexpression of S100beta may confer increased risk for later development of Alzheimer's disease.

Basic fibroblast growth factor-2 and interleukin-1 beta regulate S100 beta expression in cultured astrocytes

Basic fibroblast growth factor and interleukin-1 beta are known to regulate the expression of other trophic factors and to stimulate reactive gliosis in vivo. S100 beta is a glial-specific putative neurotrophic factor and has been considered a marker of the reactive status of astrocytes. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that basic fibroblast growth factor-2 and interleukin-1 beta achieve their effects by altering S100 beta gene expression in cultured rat astrocytes using an RNase protection assay. Short-term treatment with basic fibroblast growth factor-2 produced a transient decrease in S100 beta messenger RNA which was followed by an increase after longer term treatment. In contrast, both short- and long-term treatment with interleukin-1 beta suppressed S100 beta messenger RNA. We measured levels of S100 beta nuclear primary transcript to assess whether alterations in transcriptional rate explain the changes in messenger RNA. Our results indicate that changes in transcription account for changes in steady state levels of messenger RNA since basic fibroblast growth factor-2-induced changes in S100 beta primary transcript temporally preceded changes in messenger RNA. We further measured intracellular S100 beta protein levels by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to determine whether changes in gene expression were translated into parallel changes in protein. Our results clearly demonstrate that basic fibroblast growth factor-2 and interleukin-1 beta influence the expression of the S100 beta gene, that this regulation appears to occur at the level of transcription, and that alterations in messenger RNA are sometimes, but not always, reflected in changes at the level of protein. These observations suggest that basic fibroblast growth factor-2 may amplify its trophic effects, in part, by influencing the expression of another trophic factor.

Senescence-accelerated overexpression of S100beta in brain of SAMP6 mice

S100beta is an astrocyte-derived protein with paracrine and autocrine effects on neurons and glia. Brain S100beta expression increases progressively with age, and this increased expression has been implicated as a factor underlying the increasing risk of Alzheimer's disease that accompanies aging. Senescence acceleration-prone (SAMP) mice are a group of inbred strains that provide animal models of aging and of various age-related disease processes in the brain and peripheral tissues. One of these strains, the osteopenic SAMP6, has not been previously associated with central nervous system alterations. We used Northern and Western immunoblot analysis and immunohistochemical labeling to examine S100beta expression in brains of SAMP6 mice. Cerebral tissue levels of S100beta and of S100beta mRNA were 2.2-fold and 1.6-fold those of senescence-resistant (control) mice at 4 months of age (p < 0.05 in each case), and were 3.7-fold and 1.9-fold those of control mice at 6 months of age (p < 0.01 in each case). In contrast, levels of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in cerebral hemispheres were not different from those of controls. Image analysis of immunohistochemical preparations showed increased numbers and immunoreactive intensity of S100beta-immunoreactive astrocytes in both the hippocampus and cerebral cortex of SAMP6 mice at 4 months of age (p < 0.05 or better in each case). These increases were greater in the hippocampus than in the cerebral cortex. In contrast, increases in numbers of GFAP immunoreactive astrocytes were noted only in the hippocampus. Our finding of increased S100beta gene expression in brains of SAMP6 mice mirror age-associated increases in S100beta expression in human brain and suggest that SAMP6 may provide insights into age-associated brain alterations and diseases.

Exaggerated astrocyte reactivity after nigrostriatal deafferentation in the aged rat

Although clinical experience suggests that brain injury in the aged is associated with a poor prognosis, little research has examined this phenomenon at a cellular or molecular level. Unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine lesions of the nigrostriatal system were produced in 6-, 15- or 24-month-old rats. In the deafferented neostriatum, the time-dependent induction of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) was larger and persisted longer in the aged rats. The response of middle-aged rats was intermediate. In contrast, no induction of S-100 or glutamine synthetase was observed in any age group. In a second series of rats with stab wounds in the neostriatum, there were substantially larger GFAP inductions than after deafferentation, but fewer effects of age. However, in both lesion paradigms, GFAP staining increased in the contralateral striatum of old rats, but not in young rats. These data support and extend our earlier work describing larger GFAP RNA inductions after fornix transections in aged mouse hippocampus. The consistency of this exaggerated glial reactivity in the aged brain after modest injury suggests the following: 1) aged astrocytes are more sensitive to gliotrophic factors released by terminal degeneration, 2) larger quantities of such factors are produced after injury, 3) clearance of these factors is delayed in old rodents, and/or 4) aged astrocytes are less able to terminate GFAP inductions after activation. Given the potential role of inflammatory reactions as pathogenic mechanisms in Alzheimer's dementia, these data suggest that age-related glial hypersensitivity may independently increase the risk for some degenerative diseases.

Immunohistochemical expression of S-100 beta in choroidal melanomas

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the expressivity of S-100 beta antibodies in choroidal melanomas and to compare it with that of S-100 protein and HMB-45.

DESIGN

Twenty-seven choroidal melanoma specimens obtained from the McGill University Ophthalmic Pathology Registry were classified as spindle cell, epithelioid cell or mixed-cell type. Immunohistochemistry was performed using the standard peroxidase-antiperoxidase technique with monoclonal HMB-45, polyclonal S-100, polyclonal S-100 beta and monoclonal S-100 alpha beta antibodies in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections.

OUTCOME MEASURE

Intensity of immunoreaction. The result was considered positive when at least five focal areas of stained cells were observed within the tumour.

RESULTS

All 27 tumours were positive for HMB-45, 19 (70%) for S-100, 23 (85%) for S-100 beta, and 21 (78%) for S-100 alpha beta. No correlation was found between the intensity of the immunoreaction and cell classification.

CONCLUSIONS

HMB-45 is the most reliable marker for choroidal melanomas. S-100 beta is a more sensitive marker than S-100 for choroidal melanomas regardless of cell type. Contrary to previous reports, S-100 beta should not be considered a useful immunomarker to differentiate between primary choroidal melanoma and cutaneous melanoma metastatic to the choroid.

Color threshold and ratio of S100 beta, MAP5, NF68/200, GABA & GAD. I. Distribution in inner ear afferents

Afferents of chick embryos (Gallus domesticus) VIIIth nerve were examined at E3, E6, E9, E13, El7, and hatching (NH) for anti-S100 beta, anti-MAP5, anti-GABA, anti-GAD and anti-NF68/200 stain. Different ages were processed together to determine if the distribution of these antibodies changed during synaptogenesis and myelination. Color thresholding showed that saturation of pixels changed for S100 beta only 5%, for NF68/200 10%, and for MAP5, 10%, between E9-NH. Color ratio of NF68/200 over MAP5 was 1.00 at E13 and 0.25 at E16 and NH. S100 beta, GABA and GAD were co-expressed on nerve endings at the edge of the maculae and center of the cristae, whereas hair cells in the center of the maculae expressed either S100 beta or GABA, but not both. S100 beta/NF68/200 shared antigenic sites on the chalices, but NF68/200 expression was higher than S100 beta in the chalices at hatching. MAP5 was expressed in more neurons than NF68/200 at E11, whereas NF68/200 was more abundant than MAP5 at hatching. The results suggest that: 1) the immunoexpression of these neuronal proteins is modulated concomitantly with the establishment of afferent synapses and myelination; 2) S100 beta may serve a neurotrophic function in the chalices where it is co-expressed with the neurotransmitter GABA and its synthesizing enzyme GAD.

Lesioning of the inferior olive using a ventral surgical approach. Characterization of temporal and spatial astrocytic responses at the lesion site and in cerebellum

Activated astrocytes, intrinsic components of both local and remote (axonal target regions) central nervous system injury responses, are now recognized as active metabolic and regulatory mediators in many neurological disorders. To further define these responses, we devised a new ventral surgical approach to unilaterally lesion the inferior olivary nuclear complex, which has a single predominant remote target, the cerebellum. Activated astrocyte number, volume, and density, as well as the total volume of brainstem involved in the astrocytic response, all peaked at postlesion day (pld) 4, returning toward, but not to, unoperated control values at pld 24 (p < 0.05). In contrast, the peak astrocyte response in the cerebellum was delayed, being greatest at pld 6 (p < 0.05 compared to control or pld 2). These responses were associated with increases in overexpression of S100 beta, an astrocyte-derived neurite growth factor, and with an increase in cerebellar steady-state levels of a neuronal injury response protein, the beta-amyloid precursor protein (beta-APP). This is similar to correlated increases in these two proteins that are found in epilepsy and Alzheimer disease. Our studies defining remote astrocytic and neuronal responses may be important for understanding glial-neuronal mechanisms underlying the spread of neuropathological changes in conditions such as Alzheimer disease.

Flow cytometric analysis of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II antigen expression on brain cells from Borna disease virus-infected rats without an intervening in vitro culture step

Borna disease virus (BDV) infects astrocytes in the Lewis rat brain. BDV-infected astrocytes have been shown to express MHC class II in vitro but not in vivo. Using a sensitive fluorescence-activated cytometric technique, we now report the detection of MHC class II on freshly harvested S100-positive cells from BDV-infected rat brain, without an intervening in vitro culture step. These data support the hypothesis that astrocytes from BDV-infected rats express MHC class II on their surface and, thus, are potential participants in the encephalitic response to BDV infection.

Active replication of HIV-1 at the lymphoepithelial surface of the tonsil

Cells that are infected with HIV-1 were visualized at the mucosal surface of the nasopharyngeal and palatine tonsils in 14 specimens from patients with CD4+ T-cell counts of 200 to 900/microliter and 2- to 10-year histories of HIV-1 infection. Most of the cells with intracellular HIV-1 protein were small but multinucleated. The majority of these syncytia could be double labeled for HIV-1 RNA and a dendritic cell marker S100. In the palatine tonsil, the infected cells were not found in the stratified squamous epithelium that is adjacent to the pharynx. Instead, the S100+ infected syncytia were localized to the surface of tonsil invaginations or crypts. This mucosa, termed lymphoepithelium, contains antigen-transporting M cells that lie above regions where S100+ dendritic cells are juxtaposed with CD4+ lymphocytes. Likewise, infected cells were found in lymphoepithelium and not respiratory epithelium of nasopharyngeal tonsils or adenoids. We propose that lymphoepithelia, the histological term that describes the specialized regions where antigens access mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue, are sites where HIV-1 replication can be enhanced in syncytia derived from dendritic cells.

The expression of the low affinity nerve growth factor receptor in long-term denervated Schwann cells

Schwann cells in the distal stump of injured peripheral nerves synthesize the low affinity nerve growth factor receptor (p75). In this study we used short-term (1 week) and long-term (1-12 months) transected distal sciatic nerves of rats to determine the variations of p75 expression by using immunocytochemistry and in situ hybridization. Semi-quantitative analysis revealed that the synthesis of the protein product of the p75 gene is rapidly enhanced to reach a peak within the 1 month after denervation. After that it gradually decreased and was barely detectable 6 months following denervation. Double immunocytochemistry for p75 and the S100 protein revealed that p75 immunoreactivity is confined to the Schwann cells. Quantitative analysis of our in situ hybridization experiments revealed that the upregulation of the p75 mRNA parallels the enhanced synthesis of the corresponding protein and reaches a peak within 1 month, which is maintained until the second month after the transection and declines thereafter to reach background levels at 4 months. The electron microscopic observations reveal that the increase in the number of nuclei in the distal stump belong to severely atrophied Schwann cells and fibroblasts. Since the presence of p75 in the Schwann cells is necessary for reinnervation, our results indicate that, based on the expression of p75, the Schwann cells will provide a most suitable environment for the regenerating axons up to the first month. At later stages the ability of the Schwann cells to synthesize p75 and cell adhesion proteins such as N-CAM and GAP 43 decreases which may be one of the factors that contribute to poor functional recovery if the regenerating axons reach the distal stump after long periods of time.

The thymus and self-tolerance: co-existence of encephalitogenic S100 beta-specific T cells and their nominal autoantigen in the normal adult rat thymus

The adoptive transfer of auto-reactive T cells specific for S100 beta protein mediates experimental autoimmune panencephalomyelitis, an inflammatory autoimmune disease of the nervous system and eye. However, unlike classical encephalitogenic autoantigens which are components of the myelin membrane and restricted to the nervous system, S100 beta is expressed by many different cell types in a wide variety of peripheral tissues. We now report that S100 beta is also expressed within the rat thymus from embryonic day 16 through to adulthood at which time point the protein is localized within stroma cells of the thymic medulla. However, despite the continued expression of this autoantigen within the thymic microenvironment it proved possible to isolate encephalitogenic, S100 beta-specific CD4+ alpha beta TCR T cell lines from the naive adult rat thymus. These T cell lines were highly specific for S100 beta, and following activation in vitro and adoptive transfer initiate an inflammatory response in the central nervous system and eye of naive syngeneic recipients. These observations provide additional evidence that clonal deletion of autoaggressive T cell clones in the thymus is leaky. In this case allowing potentially autoaggressive T cell clones specific for S100 beta, a non-myelin autoantigen expressed in the nervous system, thymus and many peripheral tissues, to become an intrinsic component of the normal immune repertoire.

Differential expression of Rho family GTP-binding proteins and protein kinase C isozymes during C6 glial cell differentiation

The differential expression of Rho family of low molecular weight GTP-binding proteins and protein kinase C (PKC) isozymes were examined during differentiation of rat C6 glial cells to astrocytic phenotypes induced by dibutyryl cAMP (dbcAMP)/theophylline. The cells showed rapid and distinct morphological changes, resembling stellate astrocytes at 12 h after the treatment. The treated cells had a round cell body that extended several long processes each with a beaded appearance. In addition to morphological changes, Western blot analysis revealed that S-100 protein, known as a glial cell differentiation marker, increased and reached the maximal level (approximately 6-fold increase) at 24 h following the addition of dbcAMP. In the control experiments with cells cultured in the absence of serum but also without dbcAMP/theophylline, morphological changes were marginal and apparent increases of S-100 protein were not observed by Western blotting. In response to dbcAMP/theophylline treatment, RhoA showed increases in the mRNA level followed by the protein level, as inferred by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blotting, respectively. Rac1 and Cdc42 proteins were undetectable by Western blot analyses. In PKC isozymes, increases were observed in PKC beta 1, epsilon, and zeta by RT-PCR, and in beta 1 and epsilon by Western blotting. Among them, PKC epsilon showed the most distinct changes. Its mRNA level transiently increased from 3 to 6 h and then decreased even below the basal level at 18 h after the treatment. In contrast, Western blot analysis revealed that PKC epsilon gradually increased time-dependently to 24 h (approximately 6-fold increase), and remained elevated until 48 h. These results suggested that RhoA and PKC epsilon, and probably also PKC beta 1 and PKC zeta, were closely implicated in C6 cell differentiation.

Ciliary neurotrophic factor immunoreactivity in rat intramuscular nerve during reinnervation through a silicone tube after severing of the rat sciatic nerve

The immunoreactivity of ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) and S100 was studied in the degenerating and regenerating intramuscular nerves after the sciatic nerve was severed. The sciatic nerves of male Wistar rats were transected at the midpoint of the thigh, and silicone tubing was used to obtain effective reinnervation. The strong immunoreactivity of CNTF and S100 was observed in the Schwann cell cytoplasm of intramuscular nerves (IMN) and at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) on the control sections. The CNTF immunoreactivity gradually became weak and indistinct in the Schwann cell cytoplasm after the operation. However, it was recognized again in the IMN at 4 weeks after the operation. On the other hand, the S100 immunoreactivity was continuously observed except at the NMJ through the denervating and reinnervating period. At 12 weeks after the operation, the strong immunoreactivity of both CNTF and S100 was observed again. These findings suggest that the amount of CNTF protein decreased in Schwann cells of the IMN and NMJ during the denervating period and increased during the reinnervating period in proportion to the number of remyelinated Schwann cells after severing of the sciatic nerve. They also suggest that CNTF was more highly correlated than the S100 protein with the reinnervation activity of Schwann cells.

Expression of the S-100 proteins MRP-8 and -14 in ischemic brain lesions

So far, microglial activation in cerebral ischemia has only been studied in different animal models. We have investigated the activation of microglial cells in human cerebral ischemia. As a marker for the activation of these "brain macrophages," we have used the macrophage inhibitor factor-related-proteins MRP-8 and MRP-14, which belong to the calcium binding S-100 protein family. The proteins can be detected on microglial cells in bacterial encephalitis and Alzheimer's disease but have so far not been studied in non-inflammatory diseases, in which microglial activation also occurs. Antibodies against MRP-8 and -14 detected ramified microglial cells within the first 3 days after cerebral infarction. Labeled cells were found selectively in the periinfarctional area. To support the notion that these cells belong to the locally activated resident microglial population, we studied their proliferation rate by staining the Ki-67 antigen with the antibody MIB-1. Double-labeling clearly showed that in the early phase of cerebral infarction microglial cells in the periinfarctional area express MRP-8 and -14 and also proliferate. Surprisingly, MRPs are expressed no longer than 3 days post infarction. This indicates that the activation of the resident microglia is an early step of tissue reaction after cerebral infarction. Additionally, we found evidence that microglial cells contribute to the population of phagocytes only during the first 3 days post infarction. The majority of lipid phagocytes found in the later stages are obviously recruited from the blood-borne macrophage pool.

Characterization of the human and mouse cDNAs coding for S100A13, a new member of the S100 protein family

Here we report the characterization of the human S100A13 cDNA coding for a novel calcium-binding protein belonging to the S100 protein family. The predicted S100A13 protein shows sequence homologies to other S100 proteins between 50.5% (to S100A5) and 59.3% (to S100A12). High mRNA amounts were found in skeletal muscle, heart, kidney, ovary, small intestine and pancreas. Since twelve S100 genes are clustered on human chromosome 1q21, we determined the chromosomal localization of the human S100A13. It co-localizes with S100A1 on the cluster. Furthermore, we characterized the cDNA sequence coding for the mouse homolog of S100A13. Similar to the putative human protein, mouse S100A13 is composed of 98 amino acids displaying a homology of 86.7% compared to human S100A13.

Ethanol inhibits basic fibroblast growth factor-mediated proliferation of C6 astrocytoma cells

Early ethanol exposure alters the proliferative activity of glial and neuronal precursors in the developing CNS. The present study tests the hypothesis that ethanol-induced alterations in cell proliferation result from interference with growth factors. An in vitro model of astroglia (C6 astrocytoma cells) was used to study the effects of ethanol on proliferation mediated by basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). bFGF stimulated the proliferation of C6 cells. This bFGF-enhanced proliferation was evident by increases in total cell number, DNA synthesis (as measured by [3H]thymidine incorporation), and the number of cells that took up bromodeoxyuridine. A synthetic peptide that specifically blocked the binding of bFGF to its high-affinity receptor completely abolished the proliferation-promoting effect of bFGF. The action of another mitogen for C6 cells, insulin-like growth factor-1, was not affected by this peptide. Therefore, the bFGF-stimulated proliferation was mediated through a specific bFGF receptor. Ethanol inhibited bFGF-mediated proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner. Ethanol concentrations of 100 and 200 mg/dl partially inhibited bFGF-mediated proliferation (by 58 and 74%, respectively), whereas concentrations of > or = 400 mg/dl completely abolished the growth-stimulating effect of bFGF. Our data show that ethanol alters proliferative activity of C6 cells by disrupting the action of bFGF. The target of ethanol neurotoxicity is a receptor-mediated activity. bFGF can affect cell proliferation by a non-receptor-mediated intracellular pathway, but ethanol does not have an impact on this pathway.