In vivo secretion of the mouse immunoglobulin G Fc fragment from rat submandibular glands

Switching of cargo sorting from the constitutive to regulated secretory pathway by the addition of cystatin D sequence in salivary acinar cells

The mechanism for segregation of cargo proteins into the regulated and constitutive secretory pathways in exocrine cells remains to be elucidated. We examined the transport of HaloTag proteins fused with full-length cystatin D (fCst5-Halo) or only its signal peptide (ssCst5-Halo) in parotid acinar cells. Although both fusion proteins were observed to be colocalized with amylase in the secretory granules, the coefficients for overlapping and correlation of fCst5-Halo with amylase were higher than those of ssCst5-Halo. The secretion of both the proteins was enhanced by the addition of the β-adrenergic receptor agonist isoproterenol as well as endogenous amylase. In contrast, unstimulated secretion of ssCst5-Halo without isoproterenol was significantly higher than that of fCst5-Halo and amylase. Simulation analysis using a mathematical model revealed that a large proportion of ssCst5-Halo was secreted through the constitutive pathway, whereas fCst5-Halo was transported into the secretory granules more efficiently. Precipitation of fCst5-Halo from cell lysates was increased at a low pH, which may mimic the milieu of the trans-Golgi networks. These data suggest that the addition of a full-length sequence of cystatin D facilitates efficient selective transport into the regulated pathway by aggregation at low pH in the trans-Golgi network.NEW & NOTEWORTHY The mechanism underlying the segregation of cargo proteins to the regulated and constitutive secretory pathways in exocrine cells remains to be solved. We analyzed unstimulated secretion in salivary acinar cells by performing double-labeling experiments using HaloTag technology and computer simulation. It revealed that the majority of HaloTag with only signal peptide sequence was secreted through the constitutive pathway and that the addition of a full-length cystatin D sequence changed its sorting to the regulated pathway.

Vectored immunoprophylaxis: an emerging adjunct to traditional vaccination

The successful development of effective vaccines has been elusive for many of the world's most important infectious diseases. Additionally, much of the population, such as the aged or immunocompromised, are unable to mount an effective immunologic response for existing vaccines. Vectored Immunoprophylaxis (VIP) is a novel approach designed to address these challenges. Rather than utilizing an antigen to trigger a response from the host's immune system as is normally done with traditional vaccines, VIP genetically engineers the production of tailored antibodies from non-hematopoietic cells, bypassing the humoral immune system. Direct administration of genes encoding for neutralizing antibodies has proven to be effective in both preventing and treating several infectious diseases in animal models. While, a significant amount of work has focused on HIV, including an ongoing clinical trial, the approach has also been shown to be effective for malaria, dengue, hepatitis C, influenza, and more. In addition to presenting itself as a potentially efficient approach to solving long-standing vaccine challenges, the approach may be the best, if not only, method to vaccinate immunocompromised individuals. Many issues still need to be addressed, including which tissue(s) makes the most suitable platform, which vector(s) are most efficient at transducing the platform tissue used to secrete the antibodies, and what are the long-term effects of such a treatment. Here we provide a brief overview of this approach, and its potential application in treating some of the world's most intractable infectious diseases.

Expression of EGF and somatostatin in the submandibular gland of rats during heroin abstinence, detoxification or relapse

AIM: To investigate the expression of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and somatostatin in the submandibular gland of rats during heroin abstinence, detoxification or relapse.

METHODS: Male rats were divided into normal control group (NCG, n = 5), saline control group (SCG, n = 5), and experiment group (EG). The EG group was further divided into heroin abstinence group (HAG, n = 5), methadone detoxification group (MDG, n = 5), and heroin relapse group (HRG, n = 5). Submandibular gland tissue samples were taken from each group to perform immunohistochemistry to detect the expression of EGF and somatostatin.

RESULTS: Compared to the NCG group, the immunostaining density of EGF- and SS-positive cells was greater, the mean grey degree of EGF- and SS-positive cells decreased (EGF: 71.21 ± 9.31 vs 153.59 ± 11.00, 144.35 ± 7.54, F = 37.444; SS: 158.62 ± 10.95 vs 149.19 ± 9.00, 136.73 ± 7.93, F = 19.260; all P < 0.05), and the number of EGF-positive cells significantly increased (52.13 ± 5.33 vs 60.96 ± 6.06, 58.87 ± 5.69, F = 10.363, both P < 0.05) in the HAG and HRG groups. The number of SS-positive cells significantly increased (NCG45.68±5.70 vs HAG56.68±4.31, F = 11.201, P < 0.05) in the HAG group but showed no significant changes in the HRG group (P > 0.05) compared to the NCG group. In addition, the mean grey degree of EGF- and SS-positive cells did not change significantly in the MDG group (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION: Heroin abstinence and relapse significantly affect the synthesis and secretion of EGF and SS in the submandibular gland of rats.