CD4+ T cells apoptosis and conversion of Th1/Th2-type cytokines promote the progress of sporotrichosis

Sporotrichosis is a fungal disease of the human and other mammals, caused by a complex of Sporothrix schenckii. The disease follows the traumatic inoculation to lead to fixed lesions, regional lymphangitic lesions, or even disseminated lesions including internal involvement, which depends on host immunological status and strain virulence. In this work, we observed the role of CD4⁺ T cells apoptosis and conversion of Th1/Th2-type cytokines in the cellular immunity regulation on mice model sporotrichosis. The experiments showed that there was more CD4⁺ T cells apoptosis, by endogenous apoptosis signaling pathway (P < .05), and more conversions of Th1/Th2-type cytokines in more severe and longer duration groups (P < .05). Meanwhile, the trends of the conversions of Th1/Th2-type cytokines were almost consistent with the CD4 + T cell's apoptosis in the corresponding groups. These findings suggest that CD4+ T cells apoptosis and conversion of Th1/Th2-type cytokines are contributing to promoting the progress of sporotrichosis.

Serum cytokine alteration is associated with optic neuropathy in human primary open angle glaucoma

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study is to compare human serum levels of TH1 and TH2 cytokines between 2 stages of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and nonglaucomatous controls.

METHODS

Thirty-two patients with primary POAG and 26 normal control subjects were enrolled into this study. The 32 patients with POAG were divided into 2 subgroups according to their mean defect (MD) with MD better than -12 dB and worse than -12 dB on the visual field. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to assay for the levels of TH1 cytokines serum soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R), interleukin (IL)-2, IL-12p40, IL-12p70, IL-23, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interferon-gamma, and TH2 cytokines IL-4, IL-6 in the peripheral serum.

RESULTS

Patients with mild glaucomatous neuropathy exhibited significant elevations in IL-4 (P<0.0001) and IL-6 (P=0.0302) compared with the controls, whereas higher concentrations of IL-4 (P<0.0001) and IL-6 (P=0.0084) were found in patients with severe glaucomatous neuropathy. The level of IL-12p70 was significantly increased in both the MD >/=12 dB (P<0.0001) and MD <12 dB (P<0.0001) groups. A significant decrease in TNF-alpha levels were observed in MD <12 dB group compared with the controls (P=0.0464), and TNF-alpha levels in MD <12 dB group were lower than MD >/=12 dB group (P=0.0328). No significant differences in serum concentrations of IL-2, sIL-2R IL-12p40, IL-23 and interferon-gamma were found between MD <12 dB group, MD >or=12 dB group, and control group.

CONCLUSIONS

Significant alterations of serum TH1 and TH2 cytokines are associated with glaucoma, suggesting the possibility that abnormal immune environments contribute to the glaucomatous neuropathy of POAG.

Immunoregulation of autocrine prolactin: suppressing the expression of costimulatory molecules and cytokines in T lymphocytes by prolactin receptor knockdown

Ample evidence indicates that prolactin (PRL) secreted from the pituitary gland plays an important role in a variety of human immune responses. However, the immunoregulation of autocrine PRL in T lymphocytes is not fully understood. To evaluate the role of autocrine PRL in T lymphocyte activation, PRL receptor (PRLR) in Jurkat cells was silenced by lentivirus-mediated stable expression of PRLR shRNAi. Knockdown of PRLR resulted in a considerable reduction of phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-induced T cell proliferation. Moreover, the synthesis and secretion of CD137, CD154, IL-2 and IL-4 were significantly decreased, while the production of CD28, IFN-gamma and IL-10 was not affected in PHA-primed PRLR-deficient cells. These results demonstrate the importance of autocrine regulation of the PRL signaling in T lymphocyte growth and activation, and support a mechanism by which autocrine PRL participates in the immunoregulation through selectively influencing the expression of certain critical costimulatory molecules and cytokines.

Failure to recover somatotropic axis function is associated with mortality from pediatric sepsis-induced multiple organ dysfunction syndrome

OBJECTIVES

To describe the associations between mediators of the somatotropic axis and mortality from sepsis-induced multiple organ dysfunction syndrome in children; and to examine the relationship between immune function and the somatotropic axis in this setting.

DESIGN

Retrospective study using banked plasma.

SETTING

Single mixed surgical/medical intensive care unit at a quaternary level children's hospital.

PATIENTS

A total of 24 children (n = 17 survivors, 7 nonsurvivors) with severe sepsis or septic shock and dysfunction of >or=2 organ systems.

INTERVENTIONS

None.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Plasma samples were available from days 3, 7, and 14 of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. Insulin-like growth factor 1 and insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 levels were measured by chemiluminescence. Immune function was quantified using previously determined ex vivo lipopolysaccharide-induced tumor necrosis factor-alpha production levels and absolute lymphocyte counts. Insulin-like growth factor 1 levels were lower in nonsurvivors compared with survivors (p = .004) with the greatest difference seen on day 14 (25 [25-69] ng/mL vs. 314 [123-582] ng/mL; p = .038). insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 levels were reduced similarly over time (p = .019). A drop in plasma insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 level at any time after day 3 of illness resulted in a 35-fold increased odds of death (odds ratio, 35 [1.6-750]; p = .004). Both ex vivo tumor necrosis factor-alpha and absolute lymphocyte count were reduced in nonsurvivors compared with survivors, but these differences occurred earlier (days 3 and 7).

CONCLUSIONS

These data suggest that prolonged reduction of somatotropic axis function is associated with mortality from pediatric sepsis-induced multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. Reductions in innate and adaptive immune function are common in this population and are associated with failure of recovery of the somatotropic axis, although the nature of these relationships remains incompletely understood.