Deficient interleukin-2-activated killer cell cytotoxicity in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Gq pathway desensitizes chemotactic receptor-induced calcium signaling via inositol trisphosphate receptor down-regulation

Desensitization of a chemotactic receptor is an adaptive process that terminates inflammation. Although homologous desensitization can be well explained by the action of specific receptor kinases, the mechanisms of heterologous desensitization remain elusive. As an approach to evaluate the roles of Gq pathway in desensitization of calcium signaling, we expressed a constitutively active Gq alpha mutant (Gq alpha Q-L) together with platelet-activating factor (PAF) receptor in Xenopus laevis oocytes. Gq alpha Q-L expression completely attenuated the calcium-sensitive chloride current and the 45Ca release elicited by PAF. The Gq-mediated desensitization could not be ascribed to G protein/receptor uncoupling via receptor phosphorylation, because (i) PAF-induced inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) synthesis was only partially suppressed and (ii) a mutated PAF receptor devoid of all Ser and Thr in the third cytoplasmic loop and in the C-terminal tail was also completely desensitized by Gq alpha Q-L. In Gq alpha Q-L expressing oocytes, microinjection of IP3 failed to elicit the calcium response, and the IP3 receptor, detected by a specific antibody, disappeared. Thus, the Gq-mediated desensitization can be most likely explained by IP3 receptor down-regulation. These novel mechanisms may explain in part heterologous desensitization in chemotactic factor-stimulated inflammatory cells.

Lymphokine-activated killer cell and natural killer cell activities in patients with systemic sclerosis

OBJECTIVE

To determine the ability of T lymphocytes and natural killer (NK) cells from patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) to respond to cytokines and to generate immune effector cells.

METHODS

The numbers and percentages of peripheral blood T and NK cells were examined by 2-color flow cytometry, and NK and lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cell function were measured in 4-hour 51Cr-release assays, in 34 patients with SSc. The patients were categorized into 3 subgroups: 10 had diffuse cutaneous disease of less than or equal to 3 years disease duration, 11 had diffuse cutaneous SSc of greater than 3 years duration, and 13 had limited cutaneous disease.

RESULTS

Baseline and activated NK and T cell numbers and NK activity were normal in SSc patients. However, mean LAK activity was significantly depressed in all SSc subgroups.

CONCLUSION

Decreased LAK cell function, despite normal numbers of circulating T and NK cells, indicates that SSc patients have poor ability to produce effector cells in response to interleukin-2.

Impaired generation of polyclonal T cell-mediated cytolytic activity despite normal polyclonal T cell proliferation in systemic lupus erythematosus

No differences in proliferation induced by the anti-CD3 MAb 454 were detected between systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) or purified T cells. In contrast, overnight culture with soluble MAb 454, immobilized MAb 454, or rIL2 induced significantly less increase in cytolytic activity against Daudi targets in SLE PBMC than in normal PBMC. Cytolytic activity in SLE PBMC cultures sequentially stimulated with soluble MAb 454 and rIL2 over a 6-day period overall was also lower than normal (with approximately 50% of the individual SLE cultures generating clearly subnormal levels of cytolytic activity) and did not correlate with the daily corticosteroid dose or with the presence of nephritis. Phenotypic analysis of soluble MAb 454-stimulated SLE PBMC cultures maintained for up to 23 days in rIL2 indicated that greater than 90% (and often greater than 96%) of the recovered cells were CD3+. Cytolytic activity generated in cultures of purified T cells stimulated with soluble MAb 454 + rIL2 over a 6-day period was also subnormal in 4/8 SLE donors, suggesting that the impaired generation of cytolytic activity in SLE is caused, at least in part, by impaired T cell-mediated cytolytic activity. Taken together, these observations demonstrate that normal CD3/T cell antigen receptor (TCR)-triggered polyclonal T cell proliferation can be dissociated from abnormal CD3/TCR-triggered polyclonal T cell cytolytic activity in SLE. This may have important implications for the pathogenesis of SLE and/or for the immunocompromised state seen in SLE.