Transcriptional activity of the distal CD40 ligand promoter

CD40 ligand (CD40L, CD154) is a T cell cytokine with highly regulated expression that requires the transcription factor nuclear factor of activated T cells (NF-AT) to bind at two sites in the proximal CD40L promoter. We have determined that the distal CD40L promoter (-500 to -1300 bp from start of transcription) conveys superior promoter activity in reporter gene assays. Within the distal promoter, we have identified a third NF-AT binding site, at -761 to -756. Oligonucleotides incorporating each of the three NF-AT sites cross-compete for binding of nuclear extracts from activated T cells and bind NF-ATc2 by antibody supershift. Mutation of the distal NF-AT site reduces activity of the 1300 bp CD40L promoter construct to that of the proximal 500 bp construct, which includes only two NF-AT sites. This suggests that the newly identified NF-AT site is the major mediator of transcriptional activation in the distal CD40L promoter.

Calcium-dependent activation of TNF family gene expression by Ca2+/calmodulin kinase type IV/Gr and calcineurin

CD40 ligand (L), FasL, and TNF-alpha are members of the TNF family of cytokines. All are expressed by T lymphocytes shortly after activation but have distinct effector functions. Transcription of these genes can be induced by stimulation of T cells by calcium ionophore alone and requires the calcineurin-dependent transcription factor NF of activated T cells. We have examined a second calcium-dependent signaling pathway, mediated by calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase IV (CaMKIV) in transcriptional activation of TNF family genes. In reporter gene assays using constructs driven by the promoters of human CD40L, FasL, or TNF-alpha along with vectors expressing constitutively active CaMKIV and calcineurin, we have demonstrated that each promoter is activated by calcineurin and CaMKIV in a synergistic fashion. Furthermore, specific inhibition of CaMKIV by chemical means and by a dominant negative mutant of CaMKIV impairs the ionomycin-induced activity of all three promoters as well as protein expression of CD40L and TNF-alpha. Our results indicate that activation of gene expression by calcineurin and CaMKIV is common to members of the TNF cytokine family.

Determination of the specificities of monoclonal antibodies recognizing members of the CEA family using a panel of transfectants

Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), one of the most clinically important tumor markers, is mainly used in the post-surgical surveillance of patients with colorectal carcinomas. CEA belongs to a large protein family, which includes cross-reacting antigens, e.g., non-specific cross-reacting antigens (NCAs) and biliary glycoprotein (BGP) as well as pregnancy-specific glycoproteins (PSGs). The genes encoding these proteins can be subdivided into the CEA and PSG subgroups. The members of the subgroups share antigenic determinants and show high similarity in amino-acid sequences. Their derived secondary structures show them to belong to the immunoglobulin superfamily. Due to the close relationship of the members of the CEA subgroup, it is very difficult to distinguish between the individual members with MAbs. Here we have used flow cytometric analysis of transfectants expressing individual members of the CEA subgroup as an alternative approach to determine the specificities of 13 MAbs. This allows us to examine the specificities of these antibodies for members of the CEA family, even of those which have not yet been characterized at the protein level. In addition, binding of the MAbs to NCAs expressed by polymorphonuclear cells (PMN) was tested by Western-blot analysis, immunoprecipitation and flow cytometry. Four antibodies bound exclusively to NCA-50/90 and one MAb (80H3) only to NCA-95. MAb 4/3/17 recognizes CEA and BGP on the surface of transfectants and NCA-160 from granulocytes. We assume that NCA-160 is a product of the BGP gene. On granulocytes, which do not express CEA, MAb 4/3/17 is specific for NCA-160 (BGP). Mutual inhibition of the MAbs binding to NCA-50/90 revealed 3 different epitope groups.

INDUCTION OF A CELL-TRANSFERABLE SUPPRESSION OF ALLOREACTIVITY BY PHOTODAMAGED LYMPHOCYTES

We have reported previously that splenocytes from BALB/c mice acutely rejecting CBA/j skin allografts were exposed to 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP) and ultraviolet A light and infused several times intravenously into naive BALB/c recipients; the recipients were hyporesponsive to CBA/j alloantigens in skin graft and delayed-type hypersensitivity assays, as well as in mixed leukocyte culture and cytotoxicity assays. We currently expand on this work by showing that donor-specific tolerance can be transferred adoptively to naive syngeneic animals via unfractionated splenocytes from mice rendered tolerant by the previous protocol. This suppressed response to alloantigen was transferred optimally with splenocytes taken from mice on the sixth day after the final treatment with PET cells. We further demonstrate that the cells that are adoptively transferring suppression are radiosensitive, Thy-1+, Lyt-2+, L3T4- T lymphocytes.

Suppression of anti-skin-allograft response by photodamaged effector cells--the modulating effects of prednisolone and cyclophosphamide

Using a murine model of skin allotransplantation, we have demonstrated previously that inhibition of specific response to alloantigen is inducible by immunization of the host with intravenously administered photoinactivated antigraft effector T cells. This hyporesponsiveness, which was demonstrated by specific inhibition of mixed leukocyte culture (MLC), inhibition of cytotoxic T lympholysis (CTL), specific suppression of the delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) response, and prolongation of specific skin allograft survival, was adoptively transferable by CD8+ radiosensitive T lymphocytes. In this study, we extend those results to evaluate the effects of an immunosuppressive agent (prednisolone) and an alkylating drug (cyclophosphamide) on the induction of this specific suppressive cellular response. Our results reveal that the administration of prednisolone reduces the induction of the specific hyporesponsiveness to alloantigen, as demonstrated by maintenance of the DTH response to alloantigen and continued accelerated rejection of skin allografts. In contrast, the administration of cyclophosphamide augmented this specific suppressive response to alloantigen in the DTH assay and in prolongation of specific skin allograft survival. These results indicate that adjuvant immunomodulating chemotherapy alters the immune response to photoinactivated effector T cells.

Inhibition of antiskin allograft immunity induced by infusions with photoinactivated effector T lymphocytes (PET cells). Is in vivo cell transferrable?

We previously reported producing donor-specific tolerance to alloantigens by intravenous exposure to pretreated antidonor T cells. The current study extends that work by adoptively transferring the donor-specific tolerance into naive syngeneic recipients. Eight days after BALB/c mice received histoincompatible CBA/j skin grafts, their splenocytes which included an expanded population of cells mediating rejection were treated with 100 ng/ml 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP) photoactivated by 1 Joule/cm2 of ultraviolet A (UVA) light prior to infusion into naive BALB/c recipients. Whereas 8-MOP itself is biologically inert, photoactivated 8-MOP crosslinks DNA by covalently binding to pyrimidine bases. Recipient BALB/c mice which had been previously demonstrated to be hyporesponsive to CBA/j alloantigens in mixed leukocyte culture (MLC), cytotoxicity (CTL) and in vivo delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) assays were the donors of spleen cells for the adoptive transfer experiments. Fifty to one hundred million viable spleen cells from these pretreated BALB/c mice were transferred into naive syngeneic recipients which then were tested for DTH response and allograft survival to the relevant and irrelevant antigens. The radiosensitivity of this transferrable suppression was evaluated by exposing the adoptively transferred cell population to 3200 rads of C-irradiation prior to cell transfer. The phenotype of the cells transferring this suppressive response was performed by depleting specific populations of cells with monoclonal antibodies prior to cell transfer. In vivo the DTH response of the pretreated BALB/c mice was specifically suppressed to the relevant alloantigen, correlating with retention of CBA/j skin grafts for up to 42 days post engraftment without visual evidence of rejection, in comparison to control mice complete rejection of the skin graft in less than 8 days. In vitro, splenocytes from BALB/c recipients of pretreated syngeneic splenocytes containing large numbers of BALB/c anti-CBA/j T cells proliferated less in MLC and generated lower cytotoxic T cell responses to CBA/j alloantigens than did controls and suppressed the naive and sensitized BALB/c MLC and CTL responses to CBA/j alloantigen. This specific suppressive response to alloantigen was optimally transferred into syngeneic naive recipients when the adoptive transfer was performed on the sixth day after the last infusion received by the spleen cell donor mice. The adoptive transfer of this suppressive response was abrogated by the prior X-irradiation of the donor spleen cells and significantly abolished by the depletion of Thy-1+, Lyt-2+, L3T4- T lymphocytes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Biochemical characterization and tissue distribution of the Cora antigen, a cell surface glycoprotein differentially expressed on malignant and benign gastrointestinal epithelia

A monoclonal antibody designated Cora was isolated which discriminates between malignant and benign colon epithelium. It identifies a novel, variably glycosylated membrane glycoprotein. Expression of the Cora antigen was shown to be characteristic for gastrointestinal carcinomas (100% of tested colorectal carcinomas, 70% of tested gastric carcinomas) but could not be detected on normal gastrointestinal tissues using histochemical methods on frozen tissue sections. An extensive survey of normal tissues revealed that the Cora antigen has a very restricted distribution pattern, being detected only on alveoli of the lung, granulocytes, and bone marrow. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of immunoprecipitates prepared from [35S]methionine, 125I, or [3H]glucosamine labeled colon carcinoma cell lines showed that the Cora antigen consists of a group of glycoproteins ranging in apparent molecular weight from 75,000 to 95,000. Following treatment with neuraminidase, the apparent molecular weights were reduced (65,000 to 85,000) but the size heterogeneity remained. Culturing the cells in the presence of tunicamycin, which inhibits N-linked glycosylation, removed this heterogeneity and under these conditions monoclonal antibody Cora precipitated a major band with an apparent molecular weight of 33,000. Because this monoclonal antibody can distinguish between normal and malignant gastrointestinal epithelia, expression of the Cora antigen may be associated with the process of malignant transformation in this tissue.