Reciprocal action of interferon-gamma and interleukin-4 promotes granulomatous inflammation induced by Rhodococcus aurantiacus in mice

Dynamic 11C-methionine PET analysis has an additional value for differentiating malignant tumors from granulomas: an experimental study using small animal PET

PURPOSE

We evaluated whether the dynamic profile of L-(11)C-methionine (11C-MET) may have an additional value in differentiating malignant tumors from granulomas in experimental rat models by small animal positron emission tomography (PET).

METHODS

Rhodococcus aurantiacus and allogenic rat C6 glioma cells were inoculated, respectively, into the right and left calf muscles to generate a rat model bearing both granulomas and tumors (n=6). Ten days after the inoculations, dynamic 11C-MET PET was performed by small animal PET up to 120 min after injection of 11C-MET. The next day, after overnight fasting, the rats were injected with 18F-2-deoxy-2-fluoro-D-glucose (18F-FDG), and dynamic 18F-FDG PET was performed up to 180 min. The time-activity curves, static images, and mean standardized uptake value (SUV) in the lesions were calculated.

RESULTS

11C-MET uptake in the granuloma showed a slow exponential clearance after an initial distribution, while the uptake in the tumor gradually increased with time. The dynamic pattern of 11C-MET uptake in the granuloma was significantly different from that in the tumor (p<0.001). In the static analysis of 11C-MET, visual assessment and SUV analysis could not differentiate the tumor from the granuloma in all cases, although the mean SUV in the granuloma (1.48±0.09) was significantly lower than that in the tumor (1.72±0.18, p<0.01). The dynamic patterns, static images, and mean SUVs of 18F-FDG in the granuloma were similar to those in the tumor (p=NS).

CONCLUSION

Dynamic 11C-MET PET has an additional value for differentiating malignant tumors from granulomatous lesions, which deserves further elucidation in clinical settings.

Type 1 T-helper cell predominance in granulomas of Crohn's disease

OBJECTIVE

The pathogenesis of Crohn's disease (CD) is thought to be associated with production of several cytokines, especially type-1 cytokines. To elucidate the in situ cytokine profiles in CD, cytokine-containing cells were localized by immunohistochemistry, with special attention to noncaseating granulomas. The results were compared with those from studies of ulcerative colitis (UC).

METHODS

We adopted the biotin-streptavidin-peroxidase method on frozen sections obtained at surgery from patients with CD or UC, and we immunohistochemically examined the expression of several cytokines (interferon-gamma, interleukin-2, -4, -10, and -12).

RESULTS

In normal colonic tissue, expression of these cytokines was rare except for interleukin-4. In actively inflamed areas of CD, increased expression of all cytokines by mononuclear cells was observed. In contrast, granulomas in CD involved interferon-gamma+ lymphocytes and interleukin-12+ macrophage-lineage cells (epithelioid cells and multinucleated giant cells) but few interleukin-4+ or -10+ cells. Actively inflamed areas of UC also showed an increase in the number of cytokine-containing cells; however, quantitative analysis revealed that there was more expression of interferon-gamma and interleukin-12, and less of interleukin-10, in CD than in UC, indicating the presence of more type 1 T-helper cells in CD tissue than in UC.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of the present study suggest that granulomas of CD are coupled with type 1 T-helper responses; these responses may contribute to the pathogenesis of this disease.

Movement disorders in encephalitis induced by Rhodococcus aurantiacus infection relieved by the administration of L-dopa and anti-T-cell antibodies

Mice injected with Rhodococcus aurantiacus by the intravenous (i.v.) route show neurological disorders, hemiparesis, vertical headshake and turn-round gait after day 7 postinfection (p.i.). Neurological symptoms caused by i.v. inoculation of R. aurantiacus were relieved by treatment with levodopa (l-dopa). R. aurantiacus was isolated from the brain and was found to be completely eliminated at day 7 p. i. Focal encephalitis was mainly observed in the brain stem, and T cells could be isolated from the brain after day 7 p.i. Administration of both an anti-CD4 monoclonal antibody (mAb) and an anti-CD8 mAb suppressed neurological symptoms. These results suggest that R. aurantiacus induces movement disorders in mice, and that the symptoms are mediated by T cells infiltrating the brain, rather than directly by the bacterium.

Neuropeptides in the livers of mice during bacterial infections

Neuropeptides such as substance P (SP) and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) are known to act as immunomodulators. We investigated the induction of SP and VIP in the livers of mice infected with Listeria monocytogenes or injected with Tsukamurella paurometabolum. VIP was detected in the livers of mice after L. monocytogenes infection by an immunohistochemical technique and preproVIP mRNA, which was detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (PCR), was induced post infection. However, no SP was detected. In contrast, SP, but not VIP was detected within granulomas in the livers of T. paurometabolum-injected mice, suggesting VIP and SP might be selectively induced in the liver by different bacterial infections.