Role of the 75-kDa tumor necrosis factor receptor: inhibition of early hematopoiesis

A Metalloproteinase Inhibitor Prevents Lethal Acute Graft-Versus-Host Disease in Mice

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF ) and Fas ligand (FasL) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), which is a major complication after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. We examined here the ameliorating effect of a metalloproteinase inhibitor (KB-R7785) that inhibits TNF-α and FasL release in a lethal acute GVHD model in mice. Administration of KB-R7785 into (BALB/c × C57BL/6) F1 that received C57BL/6 spleen cells markedly reduced the mortality and weight loss in association with minimal signs of GVHD pathology in the liver, intestine, and hematopoietic tissues. The ameliorating effect of KB-R7785 was superior to that of anti–TNF-α antibody. Our results suggest that KB-R7785 could be a potent therapeutic agent for GVHD.

55- and 75-kilodalton tumor necrosis factor receptors mediate distinct actions in regard to human immunodeficiency virus type 1 replication in primary human macrophages

We report in this study that repeated tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) pretreatment, starting before and continued after infection by human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), inhibits replication of the monocytotropic Ada strain in primary tissue culture-differentiated macrophages (TCDM), as assessed by sixfold lower levels of reverse transcriptase (RT) activity than that in untreated cells and absence of syncytium formation in TCDM cultures. In order to determine the pathways involved in inhibition of HIV-1 replication in primary TCDM pretreated with TNF-alpha, we tested TNF-alpha mutants T55 and T75, which recognize either the 55-kDa (TNF-R1) or the 75-kDa (TNF-R2) TNF receptor, respectively. Pretreatment of TCDM with the T75 mutant decreased the RT activity compared with that in untreated infected control cells fivefold and almost totally inhibited syncytium formation. In contrast, when TCDM were pretreated with the T55 mutant alone, syncytia were observed and RT activity was decreased about one-half. These results suggest that the inhibition of HIV-1 replication in TCDM pretreated with TNF-alpha might be mediated mainly through the 75-kDa TNF receptor (TNF-R2) rather than through the 55-kDa receptor (TNF-R1). Inhibition of HIV-1 replication in TCDM was observed with both T75 mutant pretreatment and posttreatment, starting at 1 h or 3 days after infection, whereas posttreatment with the T55 mutant, but not pretreatment, stimulated HIV-1 growth in primary TCDM. Both pre- and posttreatment with TNF-alpha inhibited HIV-1 replication in primary TCDM. The stimulation of HIV-1 replication by TNF-alpha in a chronically infected promonocytic cell line, U1, which contains two copies of integrated provirus, was mediated through the 55-kDa TNF-R1 alone and not through the 75-kDa TNF-R2. These results demonstrate that the 55-kDa TNF-R1 is involved in postintegration stimulation of HIV-1 while the 75-kDa TNF-R2 is involved in the inhibition of an early step of the viral life cycle in primary human TCDM.

Tumor necrosis factor alpha inhibits entry of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 into primary human macrophages: a selective role for the 75-kilodalton receptor

The proinflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) is readily detected after human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection of primary macrophages in vitro and is present in plasma and tissues of patients with AIDS. Previous studies have shown that human recombinant TNFalpha (hrTNFalpha) enhances HIV replication in both chronically infected promonocytic and T-lymphoid cell lines in vitro. We report here that in contrast to untreated tissue culture-differentiated macrophages (TCDM), in which the proviral long terminal repeat (LTR) could be detected as soon as 8 h postinfection by a PCR assay, TCDM pretreatment for 3 days by hrTNFalpha markedly delayed its appearance until 72 h after infection with the HIV-1 Ada monocytotropic strain. Moreover the inhibition of formation of the proviral LTR in HIV-1-infected TCDM was directly proportional to the concentration of hrTNFalpha used. To determine if the inhibition of LTR formation results from blockade of viral entry, we performed a reverse transcription PCR assay to detect intracellular genomic viral RNA as early as 2 h after infection. Pretreatment of primary TCDM by hrTNFalpha for 3 days and even for only 2 h inhibits 75% of the viral entry into the cells. The inhibition of viral entry by hrTNFalpha was totally abolished by the use of anti-human TNFalpha monoclonal antibody. By using TNFalpha mutants specific for each human TNFalpha receptor, we showed that the inhibition of HIV-1 entry into TCDM was mediated not through the 55-kDa TNF receptor but through the 75-kDa TNF receptor. Although prolonged (1 to 5 days) TNFalpha treatment can downregulate CD4 expression in primary human TCDM, surface CD4 levels were not reduced by 2 h of treatment and was therefore not a limiting step for HIV-1 entry. In contrast to the inhibition of viral entry into primary TCDM, pretreatment with hrTNFalpha did not modify HIV-1 entry into phytohemagglutinin A-activated peripheral blood lymphocytes. TNFalpha-pretreatment inhibited HIV-1 replication in primary TCDM but not in phytohemagglutinin A-activated peripheral blood lymphocytes as assessed by decreased reverse transcriptase activity in culture supernatants. These results demonstrate that TNFalpha is able to enhance host cellular resistance to HIV-1 infection and that selective inhibition of HIV-1 entry into primary TCDM by TNFalpha involves the 75-kDa TNF receptor but not the 55-kDa TNF receptor.

Tumor necrosis factor-induced E-selectin expression on vascular endothelial cells

OBJECTIVE

To determine the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor type involved in induction of E-selectin expression on vascular endothelial cells.

DESIGN

Prospective, in vitro repeated-measures analysis of cellular responses.

SETTING

Research laboratory in an academic medical center.

SUBJECTS

Cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells.

INTERVENTIONS

Human umbilical vein endothelial cells were incubated with recombinant human TNF (rhTNF) to induce the expression of E-selectin on their surfaces. To block rhTNF from binding to receptors, the cells were incubated with monoclonal antibodies against TNF receptors (anti-CD120a and anti-CD120b). TNF-induced E-selectin expression of the endothelial cells, with and without blocking antibodies, was then determined using indirect immunofluorescence and flow cytometry.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Blocking of either CD120a or CD120b receptors individually resulted in inhibition of TNF-induced E-selectin expression on human umbilical vein endothelial cells. When both antibodies were added, the inhibition of TNF-induced E-selectin expression was synergistic. Inhibition of E-selectin expression was dependent on both TNF concentrations and antibody concentrations.

CONCLUSIONS

Both CD120a and CD120b receptors are involved in TNF-induced E-selectin expression on human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Blocking of both or one receptor type can reduce or totally inhibit expression of E-selectin on human umbilical vein endothelial cells, but the response is dependent on both TNF and antibody concentrations.

Tumor necrosis factor alpha is a potent synergistic factor for the proliferation of primitive human hematopoietic progenitor cells and induces resistance to transforming growth factor beta but not to interferon gamma

Since tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interferon (IFN)-gamma, and transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta have all been shown to be specific inhibitors of early human hematopoiesis, we wanted to investigate the interactions of these three cytokines on very primitive human adult bone marrow CD34++CD38- hematopoietic progenitor cells, using a pre-colony-forming cell (pre-CFC) assay, which detects the effects of these cytokines on the initial phases of the differentiation of these primitive progenitors, which are unresponsive to interleukin (IL) 3 alone. Surprisingly, TNF-alpha was a very potent stimulator of the proliferation of CD34++CD38- cells and was the most potent synergistic factor for the IL-3-induced proliferation of these cells of all cytokines tested (IL-1, IL-6, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, kit ligand). TNF-alpha was the only cytokine that, as a single added factor, induced substantial proliferation in CD34++CD38- cells in the presence of IL-3, except for kit ligand, which induced very limited proliferation. TNF-alpha, moreover, induced a high degree of resistance to the inhibitory effects of TGF-beta in a dose-dependent way. The inhibitory effects of IFN-gamma, however, were not affected by the presence of TNF-alpha. We hypothesize that in situations of the hematopoietic stress, TNF-alpha may abrogate the inhibitory effect of ambient TGF-beta in the bone marrow microenvironment to allow primitive stem cells to proliferate and differentiate in response to an increased demand for mature blood cells.

Tumor necrosis factor promotes phosphorylation and binding of insulin receptor substrate 1 to phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase in 3T3-L1 adipocytes

Chronic incubation of 3T3-L1 adipocytes with tumor necrosis factor (TNF) induces a state of insulin resistance characterized by a diminished ability of insulin to induce phosphorylation of the beta subunit of its own receptor and insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS-1). When adipocytes are briefly pretreated with TNF and then stimulated with insulin, tyrosine phosphorylation of IRS-1 increases above the level induced by insulin alone. By itself, TNF induces the time-dependent tyrosine phosphorylation of proteins in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Among these is IRS-1, a docking protein with tyrosine phosphorylation sites that bind cytoplasmic signaling molecules that contain Src homology 2 (SH2) domains. TNF stimulation of 3T3-L1 adipocytes also promotes the association of the p85 regulatory subunit of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase) with IRS-1 and also its tyrosine phosphorylation. In murine 3T3-L1 adipocytes, IRS-1 and PI 3-kinase phosphorylation and the association of these proteins are promoted by murine TNF, which interacts with the type 1 and type 2 TNF receptors. Human TNF, which binds to the murine type 1 TNF receptor selectively, also promotes IRS-1 phosphorylation and binding of IRS-1 to PI 3-kinase. This is the first demonstration that a member of the TNF/nerve growth factor receptor superfamily can use an IRS-1 signaling system as a component of its cellular response and provides a mechanism through which TNF receptors may engage downstream elements in signaling pathways.

Metalloproteases and serineproteases are involved in the cleavage of the two tumour necrosis factor (TNF) receptors to soluble forms in the myeloid cell lines U-937 and THP-1

The proteolytic processing of the two TNF receptors (TNF-R55 and TNF-R75) into soluble forms was investigated in the myeloid cell lines U-937 and THP-1. Phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) rapidly stimulated release of soluble forms of both TNF-receptors. Incubations were made with PMA and protease inhibitors directed against different target protease groups. The serineprotease inhibitors TPCK and dichloroisocoumarin and the metalloprotease inhibitor 1,10-phenanthroline reduced PMA-induced release of both soluble receptor forms with about 60-70%. Furthermore, 1,10-phenanthroline also reduced PMA-induced down-regulation of TNF-receptors in both cell lines as judged by TNF-binding to cells. Reduced down-regulation and TNF-receptor shedding by 1,10-phenanthroline was reversed by Zn2+, indicating involvement of a Zn(2+)-dependent metalloprotease. Thus, both serine proteases and metalloproteases are involved in the processing of TNF-receptors.

Increased soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor expression and release by human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection

High levels of circulating soluble tumor necrosis factor receptors (sTNF-R) are associated with HIV-1 infection and disease. To understand better this association, we have investigated p55 and p75 TNF-R expression on peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) subsets and in the promonocytic cell line U937, with or without HIV infection. Using flow cytometry and monoclonal antibodies both to sTNF-R and to PBMC subsets, TNF-R were found to be expressed mostly by monocytes and in decreasing amounts and intensity in the following order: CD14+ cells > CD8+ cells > CD4+ cells. Expression of TNF-R was higher on cells obtained from HIV-infected than from noninfected subjects, and expression of p75 sTNF-R was much higher than that of p55 sTNF-R. Studying the U937 cells revealed that over 80% of the cells expressed both sTNF-R, but with greater fluorescence intensity in the HIV-1 chronically infected cells (U-937-IIIB). Treatment of the cells with PMA caused an accelerated release into the medium of both sTNF-R, with a sharp decline in their cell surface expression. Basal levels of mRNA transcripts for p75 TNF-R were higher in the U-937-IIIB cells than in the uninfected cells, but p55 TNF-R mRNA was expressed only in the HIV-1-infected cells. These findings show that HIV-1 infection is accompanied by predominant elevation of p75 TNF-R surface expression on monocytes and CD8+ lymphocytes, and results in both increased message and expression of these receptors in monocytes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Association of a RING finger protein with the cytoplasmic domain of the human type-2 tumour necrosis factor receptor

A human gene encoding a protein that specifically binds to the intracellular domain of the 75 kDa type-2 tumour necrosis factor (TNF) receptor (TNFR-2IC) has been identified using the yeast-based two-hybrid system. The N-terminal half of the TNF receptor-associated protein (TRAP) contains RING finger and zinc finger motifs often found in DNA-binding proteins including transcription factors. The 2.4 kb TRAP mRNA was barely detectable, if present at all, in lung, and variably expressed in heart, liver, placenta, brain, skeletal muscle, kidney and the pancreas; interestingly, the TRAP was more highly expressed in transformed cell lines than in normal tissues. This observation may be consistent with a role for this TRAP in promoting or regulating cellular proliferation. After in vitro transcription/translation and 35S labelling the TRAP was precipitated using a fusion protein consisting of glutathione S-transferase and the intracellular domain of TNFR-2 (TNFR-2IC), which showed that the two proteins directly interact in a mammalian cell-free system and also that identification of the TRAP was not an artifact of the two-hybrid system. By using truncated TNFR-2ICs for in vitro precipitation of 35S-TRAP, it was shown that the C-terminal half of the TNFR-2IC contains the domain necessary for interaction with TRAP. The TRAP identified in the present study shares considerable homology with, and may be the human homologue of, a mouse protein, TNF receptor-associated factor 2 (TRAF2), that binds mouse TNFR-2.