Identifying transcriptomic profiles of iron-quercetin complex treated peripheral blood mononuclear cells from healthy volunteers and diabetic patients

Peripheral blood is an alternative source of stem/progenitor cells for regenerative medicine owing to its ease of retrieval and blood bank storage. Previous in vitro studies indicated that the conditioned medium derived from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) treated with the iron-quercetin complex (IronQ) contains potent angiogenesis and wound-healing properties. This study aims to unveil the intricate regulatory mechanisms governing the effects of IronQ on the transcriptome profiles of human PBMCs from healthy volunteers and those with diabetes mellitus (DM) using RNA sequencing analysis. Our findings revealed 3741 and 2204 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) when treating healthy and DM PBMCs with IronQ, respectively. Functional enrichment analyses underscored the biological processes shared by the DEGs in both conditions, including inflammatory responses, cell migration, cellular stress responses, and angiogenesis. A comprehensive exploration of these molecular alterations exposed a network of 20 hub genes essential in response to stimuli, cell migration, immune processes, and the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. The activation of these pathways enabled PBMCs to potentiate angiogenesis and tissue repair. Corroborating this, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and cell phenotyping confirmed the upregulation of candidate genes associated with anti-inflammatory, pro-angiogenesis, and tissue repair processes in IronQ-treated PBMCs. In summary, combining IronQ and PBMCs brings about substantial shifts in gene expression profiles and activates pathways that are crucial for tissue repair and immune response, which is promising for the enhancement of the therapeutic potential of PBMCs, especially in diabetic wound healing.

Changes in Adhesion and the Expression of Adhesion Molecules in PBMCs after Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: Relation to Cerebral Vasospasm

Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) is a neurovascular disease produced by extravasation of blood to the subarachnoid space after rupture of the cerebral vessels. After bleeding, the immune response is activated. The role of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in this response is a current subject of research. We have analysed the changes in PBMCs of patients with aSAH and their interaction with the endothelium, focusing on their adhesion and the expression of adhesion molecules. Using an in vitro adhesion assay, we observed that the adhesion of PBMCs of patients with aSAH is increased. Flow cytometry analysis shows that monocytes increased significantly in patients, especially in those who developed vasospasm (VSP). In aSAH patients, the expression of CD162, CD49d, CD62L and CD11a in T lymphocytes and of CD62L in monocytes increased. However, the expression of CD162, CD43, and CD11a decreased in monocytes. Furthermore, monocytes from patients who developed arteriographic VSP had lower expression of CD62L. In conclusion, our results confirm that after aSAH, monocyte count and adhesion of PBMCs increase, especially in patients with VSP, and that the expression of several adhesion molecules is altered. These observations can help predict VSP and to improve the treatment of this pathology.

UV-stimulated riboflavin exerts immunosuppressive effects in BALB/c mice and human PBMCs

Riboflavin (RF) as a photosensitizer has been used in corneal surgery and the inactivation of blood products. However, the effect of RF on immune cells after ultraviolet (UV) light stimulation has not been investigated. This study pioneered a novel application method of RF. Firstly, UV-stimulated RF was co-cultured with human peripheral blood mononuclear cells in vitro, and the apoptosis rate of lymphocyte subsets, cell proliferation inhibition rate and concentrations of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α were assessed. UV-stimulated RF was then administered intravenously to mice via the tail vein for a consecutive period of 5 days. The levels of immunoglobulin (IgG, IgM, IgA), complement (C3, C4) and cytokines (IFN-γ, IL-4, IL17, TGF-β) were detected by ELISA. Flow cytometry was employed to analyze the populations of CD3+T, CD4+T, CD8+T and CD4+T/CD8+T cells in spleen lymphocytes of mice. The data showed that UV-stimulated RF can effectively induce apoptosis in lymphocytes, and different lymphocyte subtypes exhibited varying degrees of treatment tolerance. Additionally, the proliferative capacity of lymphocytes was suppressed, while their cytokine secretion capability was augmented. The animal experiments demonstrated that UV-stimulated RF led to a significant reduction observed in serum immunoglobulin and complement levels, accompanied by an elevation in IFN-γ, IL-17 and TGF-β levels, as well as a decline in IL-4 level. In summary, the results of both in vitro and in vivo experiments have demonstrated that UV-stimulated RF, exhibits the ability to partially inhibit immune function. This novel approach utilizing RF may offer innovative perspectives for diseases requiring immunosuppressive treatment.

Development of a novel in vitro cell model for evaluation of nanofiber mats immunogenicity

Immunological safety of nanofibers remains poorly reported within the scientific literature and lacks specific in vitro testing models distinct from those used to test nanoparticles. To address the challenges of currently used conventional setups being described in the literature, we developed a novel in vitro model for nanofiber mats immunogenicity testing, which enables standardization of tested surface area, excludes nanofiber mat edges, and ensures stable contacts of cells with nanofibers during the experiment. The effect of nanofibers was assessed on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) by measuring their metabolic activity using MTS cell proliferation assay, where key performance parameters, i.e. cell number, phytohemagglutinin-L (PHA-L) concentration, incubation time and cell lysis were optimized. Repeatability of results obtained with non-activated and PHA-L-activated PBMCs in contact with differently thick polycaprolactone nanofiber mats was compared using both models. Our model provided more reproducible results with lower variability, exhibiting its higher reliability and accuracy than the conventional one. Furthermore, results showed the presence of thicker mats resulted in reduced metabolic activity and PBMC proliferation without any observed cytotoxicity, providing additional insights into their non-immunogenic characteristics. The developed model enables more accurate biological assessment that can support new guidelines for in vitro nanofiber testing and formulation.

An Optimized Protocol for piggyBac-Induced iPSC Generation from hPBMCs by Automatic Electroporation

Thanks to the Yamanaka transcription factors, pluripotency is recovered in the cell culture dish during in vitro cell reprogramming. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have been introduced to the scientific world as a source of disease models, which are predominantly used in drug discovery and monitoring disease pathophysiology, and as a source of master cell lines for developing cellular therapies. Successfully attaining iPSCs requires careful optimization of many factors, including selection of the transfection method and the appropriate transfection agents; culturing conditions before and after transfection; recovery conditions after transfection, freezing, and thawing; storage conditions; and the choice of cost-effective cell and colony characterization and molecular verification steps. In our optimized procedure, we describe the isolation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) after blood harvest and their efficient reprogramming into iPSCs using automated electroporator, with piggyBac.

Comparing Flow Cytometry and ELISpot for Detection of IL-10, IL-6, and TNF Alpha on Human PBMCs

ELISpot and flow cytometry are two methods often utilized side-by-side for detecting secreted and intracellular cytokines, respectively. Each application has its own advantages and challenges. ELISpot is more sensitive compared to ELISA and appears to be more consistent in detecting IL-10 production than flow cytometry. ELISpot can be used for detecting the secretion of multiple cytokines but not from the same cells simultaneously, whereas flow cytometry allows for the concurrent detection of multiple intracellular cytokines by the same cells. Flow cytometry is a convenient technique allowing for the detection of many cytokines at the same time in a population of cells. The restimulation cocktails used for cytokine detection in flow cytometry are hard on cells and lead to decreased cell viability. Using a live dead dye allows for the exclusion of dead cells when analyzing data. We illustrated the differences between ELISpot and flow cytometry by stimulating cells with two toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists, LPS or Pam3CSK4. Both activators increase production of various cytokines, including IL-10, IL-6, and TNF-alpha. The TLR2 antagonist, MMG-11, was used to inhibit this increased cytokine production. We observed some inhibition of IL-6 and IL-10 from Pam3CSK4 stimulation in the presence of MMG-11 by flow cytometry. TNF-α remains largely unchanged as its basal expression is high, but there is some reduction in the presence of MMG-11 for both methods. However, IL-10 was difficult to detect by ELISpot given the low seeding density. Overall, both ELISpot and flow cytometry are good methods for detecting secreted and intracellular cytokines, respectively, and should be used as complimentary assays.

Blood Sample Processing and Banking for Functional and Molecular Analyses

Immune monitoring of circulating immune cells in the blood provides insight into a patient's own immune response over the course of a treatment or disease progression. Information such as whether immune cells are functional or non-functional and what specific proteins they express or secrete can be essential to understand if (and how) a treatment is working or a disease is progressing. To do so, it requires careful handling and storage of precious biological samples with the goals of obtaining a large amount of information from limited samples and minimizing future research costs by the use of banked samples. Many factors, including blood sample types, time of collection, containers used, preservatives and other additives, transport means, and length of transit time, all affect the quality of the samples and the stability of biomarkers and must be considered at the initial collection stage. An efficient study design includes provisions for further processing of the original samples, such as cryopreservation of isolated cells, purification of DNA and RNA, and preparation of specimens for genomic, immunological, and biochemical analyses. Development of standard operating procedures and quality control plans is a safeguard of the samples' quality and of the validity of the results. Here, we focus on the collection and processing of blood suitable for plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) banking, including collection, processing, and storage of samples, based on our experience.

Increased mitochondrial proton leak and glycolysis in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in type-1-diabetes

Changes in cellular bioenergetics such as mitochondrial respiration and glycolysis may play a role in the pathogenesis of various diseases including type 1 diabetes (T1D). We used Seahorse extracellular flux technology to analyse the efficiency of glycolysis and mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) obtained from fresh blood samples from fifteen long-term T1D individuals with albuminuria (five females) with an average (±SD) age of 58 (±14) years and 15 age and sex-matched healthy non-diabetic controls. In T1D PBMCs, mitochondrial proton leak was higher (T1D: 21,3 ± 1,46 pmol/min; controls: 17,3 ± 1,24 pmol/min; p = 0,049) and glucose (5 mM) suppressed mitochondrial proton leak more than in healthy controls. Further, PBMCs from T1D individuals had higher glycolysis compared with healthy controls (T1D: 9,68 ± 0,94 mpH/min; controls: 7,07 ± 0,64 mpH/min; p = 0,032). Correlation analysis of circulating inflammatory factors identified Leukaemia Inhibitor factor 1 (LIF) being negatively correlated with PBMC glycolysis. Our results suggest that mitochondrial and glycolytic pathways of PBMCs from long-term T1D individuals with albuminuria might be dysfunctional, possibly due to increased cellular metabolic load and/or oxidative stress in which inflammatory factors could play a role.

Predictive value of TRPV2 expression from peripheral blood mononuclear cells on the early recurrence of atrial fibrillation after radiofrequency catheter ablation

BACKGROUND

Recent study has shown that the transient receptor potential vanilloid 2 (TRPV2) channel was exclusively upregulated in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), and that this overexpression might be detrimental for occurrence and maintenance of AF. We aimed to characterize the expression levels of TRPV2 mRNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) with/without early recurrence of atrial fibrillation (ERAF) after radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA), and to find a reliable predictor for ERAF.

METHODS

65 patients of AF, who underwent RFCA successfully, then divided into two groups according to ERAF during following 3 months. PBMCs were isolated from whole blood by Ficoll gradient centrifugation before and after RFCA. Gene set enrichment analysis was performed to evaluate TRPV channels expression levels and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) mapping was used for pathway enrichment analysis.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference in the TRPV2 mRNA expression level between the two groups before RFCA, while without ERAF group of TRPV2 expression was markedly reduced compared to ERAF group after RFCA. Moreover, the number of TRPV2 expression was confirmed as an independent predictor for the first time through receiver operating characteristic and Kaplan-Meier survival curve analysis. It should be pointed out that the above results were only used to predict ERAF, and have no predictive significance for late recurrence of atrial fibrillation according to the current data. Additionally, ERAF was inversely correlated with P wave dispersion. KEGG mapping further clustered 41 pathways, revealing that ''cyclic guanosine monophosphate-protein kinase G signaling pathway'' was significantly enriched.

CONCLUSIONS

We firstly assume that downregulated expression of peripheral TRPV2 appear in patients without ERAF after RFCA. TRPV2 may thus represent a novel predictor of early phase after successful radiofrequency ablation.

Expressions of interferon-stimulated genes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with secondary syphilis

BACKGROUND

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease that threatens human health worldwide. However, the immune regulation cascade caused by treponemia pallidum (TP) infection remains still largely unclear.

METHODS

To investigate the expression of ISGs in secondary syphilis (SS), we recruited 64 patients with SS and equal number of healthy participants to obtain their peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). qRT-PCR was performed to estimate the expression of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) including CXCL10, OAS3, OAS1, MX1, IFIT3, IFIT2, IFI6 and AIM2. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was adapted to diagnostic value of these genes to distinguish healthy controls and patients with SS.

RESULTS

ISGs including CXCL10, OAS3, OAS1, MX1, IFIT3, IFIT2, IFI6 and AIM2 were all upregulated in PBMCs of patients with SS. Area under the ROC curve (AUC) of the 8 ISGs were all more than 0.5. IFIT3 exhibited the highest diagnostic value, followed by AIM2, IFIT2 and CXCL10, according to the Yoden Index.

CONCLUSION

ISGs including CXCL10, OAS3, OAS1, MX1, IFIT3, IFIT2, IFI6 and AIM2 were upregulated in patients with SS and they have diagnostic value for syphilis.

Predictive value of miR-374a-5p of peripheral blood mononuclear cells in deep venous thrombosis for elderly patients after total hip arthroplasty

OBJECTIVE

This study analyzed the predictive value of peripheral blood mononuclear cells' (PBMCs) miR-374a-5p in deep vein thrombosis (DVT) after total hip arthroplasty in the elderly.

METHODS

There was a total of 112 elderly patients that underwent elective total hip arthroplasty in our hospital and were enrolled as the research subjects. According to the color Doppler ultrasound of lower limbs 5 d postoperatively, subjectswere classified into thrombosis group (n=31) and non-thrombosis group (n=81). We detected the expression levels of miR-374a-5p in PBMCs and plasma D-dimer of the two groups of patients 1 d before surgery, and 1 d, 3 d, and 5 d after surgery, and analyzed the predictive value, and the correlation between miR-374a-5p and plasma D-dimer for DVT by ROC curve.

RESULTS

The relative expression of miR-374a-5p in PBMCs and plasma D-dimer of the two groups 1 d, 3 d, and 5 d after surgery were higher than those on the 1 d before surgery (P<0.05), and the indexes of thrombus-group-patients were higher than those in the non-thrombosis group at various time points after surgery (P<0.05). We analyzed the predictive value of miR-374a-5p for DVT by ROC curve, and the areas under the predictive curve of miR-374a-5p on 1 d pre-surgery, and 1 d, 3 d and 5 d post-surgery for DVT were 0.435, 0.820, 0.974 and 0.782 respectively. The areas under the predictive curve of D-dimer for DVT was 0.470, 0.834, 0.863 and 0.790 respectively on 1 d pre-surgery, and 1 d, 3 d and 5 d post-surgery. The correlation analysis indicated that miR-374a-5p was extremely positively correlated with D-dimer (P<0.05).

CONCLUSION

miR-374a-5p is of important value in the prediction of DVT in elderly patients with total hip arthroplasty. Its expression level has a critically positive correlation with D-dimer degree, which is likely to be abiologic indicator for the early diagnosis and treatment of DVT.

Evaluation of the expression pattern of 4 microRNAs and their correlation with cellular/viral factors in PBMCs of Long Term non-progressors and HIV infected naïve Individuals

BACKGROUND

Long-term non-progressors (LTNPs) are small subsets of HIV-infected subjects that can control HIV-1 replication for several years without receiving ART. The exact mechanism of HIV-1 suppression has not yet been completely elucidated. Although the modulatory role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in HIV-1 replication has been reported, their importance in LTNPs is unclear.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to assess the expression pattern of miR-27b, -29, -150, and -221, as well as their relationship with CD4+ T-cell count, HIV-1 viral load, and nef gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of untreated viremic patients and in LTNPs.

METHODS

MiRNAs expression levels were evaluated with real-time PCR assay using RNA isolated from PBMCs of LTNPs, HIV-1 infected naive patients, and healthy people. Moreover, CD4 T-cell count, HIV viral load, and nef gene expression were assessed.

RESULTS

The expression level of all miRNAs significantly decreased in the HIV-1 patient group compared to the control group, while the expression pattern of miRNAs in the LNTPs group was similar to that in the healthy subject group. In addition, there were significant correlations between some miRNA expression with viral load, CD4+ T-cell count, and nef gene expression.

CONCLUSION

The significant similarity and difference of the miRNA expression pattern between LNTPs and healthy individuals as well as between elite controllers and HIV-infected patients, respectively, showed that these miRNAs could be used as diagnostic biomarkers. Further, positive and negative correlations between miRNAs expression and viral/cellular factors could justify the role of these miRNAs in HIV-1 disease monitoring.

Comparison of a mycobacterial phage assay to detect viable Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis with standard diagnostic modalities in cattle with naturally infected Johne disease

Background

Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP), the cause of Johne disease, is a slow growing mycobacterium. Viable MAP detection is difficult, inconstant and time-consuming. The purpose of this study was to compare a rapid phage/qPCR assay performed on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) with three standard methods of MAP detection: fecal MAP PCR; plasma antigen-specific IFN-γ & serum MAP ELISA hypothesizing that, if sensitive and specific, Johne animals would be positive and Control animals negative. We studied a well characterized herd of Holstein cattle that were naturally infected with MAP and their Controls.

Results

With phage/qPCR 72% (23/32) of Johne and 35% (6/17) of Controls were MAP positive. With fecal PCR 75% (24/32) of Johne and 0% (0/17) of Controls were MAP positive. With plasma antigen-specific IFN-γ 69% (22/32) of Johne and 12% (2/17) of Controls were MAP positive. With serum MAP ELISA, 31% (10/32) of Johne and 0% (0/17) of Controls were MAP positive. When phage / qPCR and fecal PCR results were combined, 100% (32/32) Johne and 35% (6/17) of Control animals were MAP positive. Younger Control animals (1–3 years) had significantly fewer plaques (25 ± 17 SEM) than older Controls (4–12 years) (309 ± 134 p = 0.04). The same trend was not observed in the Johne animals (p = 0.19).

Conclusions

In contrast to our hypothesis, using the phage/qPCR assay we find that viable circulating MAP can rapidly be detected from the blood of animals infected with, as well as those in the Control group evidently colonized by MAP. These data indicate that the presence of viable MAP in blood does not necessarily signify that an animal must of necessity be demonstrably ill or be MAP positive by standard diagnostic methods.

Upregulation of interleukin (IL)-31, a cytokine producing CXCR1 peripheral immune cells, contributes to the immune abnormalities of autism spectrum disorder

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a group of neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by communication deficits, impaired social interactions, and restricted stereotypical behaviors. Several immune cells are associated with immune dysfunction in ASD; however, IL-31 has not been explored in ASD. This study aims to investigate the role of inflammatory cytokines and transcription factors of the CXCR1 cells in children with ASD. In the current study, we investigated the cytokines and transcription factors produced by CXCR1⁺ cells (IL-31, IL-9, IL-21R, IL-21, NF-κB p65, RORγT, STAT1, and FoxP3) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), from children with ASD and typically developing (TD) control children, using flow cytometric analysis. In addition, we measured mRNA and protein expression levels of IL-31 using quantitative real-time PCR and western blot analyses in PBMCs. In our study, children with ASD had increased CXCR1⁺IL-31⁺, CXCR1⁺IL-9⁺, CXCR1⁺IL-21R⁺, CXCR1⁺IL-21⁺, CXCR1⁺NF-κB⁺ p65, CXCR1⁺RORγT⁺, and CXCR1⁺STAT1⁺, and decreased CXCR1⁺FoxP3⁺ cells as compared with cells from the TD control samples. Similarly, children with ASD showed increased IL-31 mRNA and protein expression levels as compared to those of TD control samples. Our results suggest that upregulated production of inflammatory cytokines and transcription factors in CXCR1⁺ cells cause immunological imbalance in children with ASD. Therefore, attenuation of inflammatory cytokines/mediators and transcription factors could have a therapeutic potential in the treatment of ASD.

Characterization of a phosphotyrosyl phosphatase activator homologue of the parasitic nematode Haemonchus contortus and its immunomodulatory effect on goat peripheral blood mononuclear cells in vitro

Suppression and modulation of the host immune response to parasitic nematodes have been extensively studied. In the present study, we cloned and produced recombinant phosphotyrosyl phosphatase activator protein from Haemonchus contortus (rHCPTPA), a parasitic nematode of small ruminants, and studied the effect of this protein on modulating the immune response of goat peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Enzymatic assays revealed that rHCPTPA enhanced the p-nitrophenylphosphate phosphatase activity of bovine PP2A₁. Immunohistochemical tests verified that the HCPTPA protein was localised mainly in the bowel wall and on the body surface of worms. It was also shown that serum produced by goats artificially infected with H. contortus successfully recognised rHCPTPA, which conjugated with goat peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The rHCPTPA was then co-incubated with goat peripheral blood mononuclear cells to assess its immunomodulatory effects on proliferation, apoptosis, cytokine secretion, migration and nitric oxide production. Our results showed that rHCPTPA suppressed the proliferation of goat peripheral blood mononuclear cells stimulated by concanavalin A and induced apoptosis in goat peripheral blood mononuclear cells. After rHCPTPA exposure, IFN-γ and IL-2 expression was markedly reduced, whereas secretion of IL-10 and IL-4 was significantly elevated, in goat peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Moreover, rHCPTPA down-regulated nitric oxide production and migration of goat peripheral blood mononuclear cells in a dose-dependent manner. These results illuminate the interaction between parasites and hosts at the molecular level, suggest a possible immunomodulatory target and contribute to the search for innovative proteins that might be candidate targets for drugs and vaccines.

Induction of ZCCHC6 expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells by HNSCC secretions

Cancer secretion can change the properties of adjacent cells, including peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). We investigated whether such secretion influences messenger RNA expression in PBMCs of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). In the present study, co-culture model of normal PBMCs and HNSCC cell lines were established. The PBMCs were subsequently subjected to RNA sequencing for transcriptome analysis. Furthermore, expression data from the Gene Expression Omnibus repository, platform GPL4133, series GSE39400, were gathered to analyze, afterward identify zinc finger CysCysHisCys (CCHC)-type domain-containing protein 6 (ZCCHC6) as the main gene involved in HNSCC. This gene was then validated by a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. The results showed that ZCCHC6 was expressed at significantly higher levels in the patients with HNSCC than in the healthy controls, and the sensitivity and specificity of these findings for diagnostic purposes were 100.00% and 70.83%, respectively. In summary, our findings demonstrated that the secretion of HNSCC cells could cause the alterations in messenger RNA expression by PBMCs. The ZCCHC6 expression level may apply in HNSCC screening.

The determination of human peripheral blood mononuclear cell counts using a genomic DNA standard and application in tenofovir diphosphate quantitation

A fluorescent quantitation method to determine PBMC-derived DNA amounts using purified human genomic DNA (gDNA) as the reference standard was developed and validated. gDNA was measured in a fluorescence-based assay using a DNA intercalant, SYBR green. The fluorescence signal was proportional to the amount (mass) of DNA in the sample. The results confirmed a linear fit from 0.0665 to 1.17 μg/μL for gDNA, corresponding to 2.0 × 10⁶ to 35.0 × 10⁶ cells/PBMC sample. Intra-batch and inter-batch accuracy (%RE) was within ±15%, and precision (%CV) was <15%. Benchtop stability, freeze/thaw stability and long term storage stability of gDNA in QC sample matrix, PBMC pellets samples, and pellet debris samples, respectively, as well as dilution linearity had been established. Consistency between hemocytometry cell counting method and gDNA-based counting method was established. 6 out of 6 evaluated PBMC lots had hemocytometry cell counts that were within ±20% of the cell counts determined by the gDNA method. This method was used in conjunction with a validated LC-MS/MS method to determine the level of tenofovir diphosphate (TFV-DP), the active intracellular metabolite of the prodrugs tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF), measured in PBMCs in clinical trials of TAF or TDF-containing fixed dose combinations.

Anti-TNF- αtreatment-related pathways and biomarkers revealed by transcriptome analysis in Chinese psoriasis patients

BACKGROUND

Anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF- α) therapy has made a significant impact on treating psoriasis. Despite these agents being designed to block TNF- α activity, their mechanism of action in the remission of psoriasis is still not fully understood at the molecular level.

RESULTS

To better understand the molecular mechanisms of Anti-TNF- α therapy, we analysed the global gene expression profile (using mRNA microarray) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) that were collected from 6 psoriasis patients before and 12 weeks after the treatment of etanercept. First, we identified 176 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) before and after treatment by using paired t-test. Then, we constructed the gene co-expression modules by weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA), and 22 co-expression modules were found to be significantly correlated with treatment response. Of these 176 DEGs, 79 DEGs (M_DEGs) were the members of these 22 co-expression modules. Of the 287 GO functional processes and pathways that were enriched for these 79 M_DEGs, we identified 30 pathways whose overall gene expression activities were significantly correlated with treatment response. Of the original 176 DEGs, 19 (GO_DEGs) were found to be the members of these 30 pathways, whose expression profiles showed clear discrimination before and after treatment. As expected, of the biological processes and functionalities implicated by these 30 treatment response-related pathways, the inflammation and immune response was the top pathway in response to etanercept treatment, and some known TNF- α related pathways, such as molting cycle process, hair cycle process, skin epidermis development, regulation of hair follicle development, were implicated. Furthermore, additional novel pathways were also suggested, such as heparan sulfate proteoglycan metabolic process, vascular endothelial growth factor production, whose transcriptional regulation may mediate the response to etanercept treatment.

CONCLUSION

Through global gene expression analysis in PBMC of psoriasis patient and subsequent co-expression module based pathway analyses, we have identified a group of functionally coherent and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and related pathways, which has not only provided new biological insight about the molecular mechanism of anti-TNF- α treatment, but also identified several genes whose expression profiles can be used as potential biomarkers for anti-TNF- α treatment response in psoriasis.

Dendritic Cell Assays

Generation of dendritic cells from both mouse and human tissues is a valuable technique for downstream immunotoxicological applications. Here, we describe methods for generation of four subsets of dendritic cells from murine bone marrow and three subsets of dendritic cells from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

Mitochondrial complex activity in permeabilised cells of chronic fatigue syndrome patients using two cell types

Abnormalities in mitochondrial function have previously been shown in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) patients, implying that mitochondrial dysfunction may contribute to the pathogenesis of disease. This study builds on previous work showing that mitochondrial respiratory parameters are impaired in whole cells from CFS patients by investigating the activity of individual mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes. Two different cell types were used in these studies in order to assess individual complex activity locally in the skeletal muscle (myotubes) (n = 6) and systemically (peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs)) (control n = 6; CFS n = 13). Complex I, II and IV activity and respiratory activitysupported by fatty acid oxidation and glutaminolysis were measured usingextracellular flux analysis. Cells were permeabilised and combinations of substrates and inhibitors were added throughout the assays to allow states of mitochondrial respiration to be calculated and the activity of specific aspects of respiratory activity to be measured. Results showed there to be no significant differences in individual mitochondrial complex activity or respiratory activity supported by fatty acid oxidation or glutaminolysis between healthy control and CFS cohorts in either skeletal muscle (p ≥ 0.190) or PBMCs (p ≥ 0.065). This is the first study to use extracellular flux analysisto investigate individual mitochondrial complex activity in permeabilised cells in the context of CFS. The lack of difference in complex activity in CFS PBMCs suggests that the previously observed mitochondrial dysfunction in whole PBMCs is due to causes upstream of the mitochondrial respiratory chain.

Host-pathogen interaction in Toxoplasma gondii-infected mixed chicken blood cell cultures

Toxoplasma gondii has the ability to infect various nucleated cell types in different hosts. The aim of the present study was to investigate which chicken blood cells were targeted by T. gondii in a mixed blood cell culture similar to in vivo conditions and to evaluate parasite-host cell interactions. The study consisted of two subsequent experiments. In experiment 1, we applied T. gondii tachyzoites (ME49) at a multiplicity of infection of 1 tachyzoite per blood cell and examined parasite replication, cytokine, and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) mRNA expression between 1 h and 48 h post-infection (p.i.) by quantitative PCR. By using T. gondii RH-GFP tachyzoites expressing the green fluorescent protein (GFP) in experiment 2, we aimed for visualizing infected cells by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and flow cytometric analysis at 24 h p.i. The parasite replication curve showed a massive decrease of parasite stages until 24 h p.i. followed by an approximately plateau phase. We observed mainly significantly increased iNOS mRNA expression levels in T. gondii-infected culture compared to uninfected cells. Flow cytometry and CLSM data confirmed monocytes/macrophages as main target cells for T. gondii. Moreover, different lymphocytes like B cells and cytotoxic T cells seem to be targeted to a low extent. Our findings indicate that monocytes/macrophages play a key role during T. gondii infection in chicken as host cells and triggering of immune response. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a mixed chicken blood cell culture experimentally infected with T. gondii.

Changes in Splicing Machinery Components Influence, Precede, and Early Predict the Development of Type 2 Diabetes: From the CORDIOPREV Study

Background

Type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a major health problem with increasing incidence, which severely impacts cardiovascular disease. Because T2DM is associated with altered gene expression and aberrant splicing, we hypothesized that dysregulations in splicing machinery could precede, contribute to, and predict T2DM development.

Methods

A cohort of patients with cardiovascular disease (CORDIOPREV study) and without T2DM at baseline (at the inclusion of the study) was used (n = 215). We determined the expression of selected splicing machinery components in fasting and 4 h-postprandial peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs, obtained at baseline) from all the patients who developed T2DM during 5-years of follow-up (n = 107 incident-T2DM cases) and 108 randomly selected non-T2DM patients (controls). Serum from incident-T2DM and control patients was used to analyze in vitro the modulation of splicing machinery expression in control PBMCs from an independent cohort of healthy subjects.

Findings

Expression of key splicing machinery components (e.g. RNU2, RNU4 or RNU12) from fasting and 4 h-postprandial PBMCs of incident-T2DM patients was markedly altered compared to non-T2DM controls. Moreover, in vitro treatment of healthy individuals PBMCs with serum from incident-T2DM patients (compared to non-T2DM controls) reduced the expression of splicing machinery elements found down-regulated in incident-T2DM patients PBMCs. Finally, fasting/postprandial levels of several splicing machinery components in the PBMCs of CORDIOPREV patients were associated to higher risk of T2DM (Odds Ratio > 4) and could accurately predict (AUC > 0.85) T2DM development.

Interpretation

Our results reveal the existence of splicing machinery alterations that precede and predict T2DM development in patients with cardiovascular disease.

Fund

ISCIII, MINECO, CIBERObn.

Uptake and metabolism of mizoribine, an immunosuppressant, in L5178Y-R mouse lymphoma cells in vitro and peripheral blood mononuclear cells of rats and kidney transplant recipients in vivo

The cellular uptake of mizoribine (MZR), an immunosuppressant, and metabolism of MZR to MZR-5'- monophosphate (MZRP), an active metabolite, were evaluated in L5178Y-R mouse lymphoma cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of rats and kidney transplant recipients (KTRs, n = 22). Real-time PCR analysis revealed the expression of ENT1 and ENT2 mRNAs, but not of CNTs, in L5178Y-R cells and rat's PBMCs. In L5178Y-R cells, the uptake of MZR was suppressed by adenosine, a substrate for ENT1 and ENT2, but not by 5-(4-nitrobenzyl)-6-thioinosine (0.1 μM), an ENT1 inhibitor. Saturable metabolism of MZR to MZRP was observed. In rats, peak plasma concentrations of MZR and peak concentrations of MZR and MZRP in PBMCs were observed 3 h after oral administration. MZR disappeared from PBMCs in parallel with plasma MZR, but the disappearance of MZRP from PBMCs appeared to be slow. In KTRs, the mean plasma concentration of MZR 3-4 h after ingestion was 3.14 μg/ml and the mean MZRP concentration in PBMCs was 16.8% of MZR, reflecting the involvement of ENT in the uptake of MZR. A linear relationship was observed between plasma MZR concentrations ranging from 1 to 6 μg/ml and PBMC's MZRP concentrations ranging from 90 to 200 ng/ml.

A shift to glycolysis accompanies the inflammatory changes in PBMCs from individuals with an IQ-discrepant memory

Identification of a blood-based biomarker that can detect early cognitive decline presents a significant healthcare challenge. We prepared peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from individuals who had a poorer than predicted performance in their delayed recall performance on the Logical Memory II Subtest of the Wechsler Memory Scale (WMS) relative to their IQ estimated by the National Adult Reading Test (NART); we described these individuals as IQ-discrepant, compared with IQ-consistent, individuals. Stimulation with Aβ + LPS increased production of TNFα to a greater extent in cells from IQ-discrepant, compared with IQ-consistent, individuals. This was associated with a shift towards glycolysis and the evidence indicates that 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-biphosphatase (PFKFB)3 plays a role in driving glycolysis. A similar shift towards glycolysis was observed in MDMs prepared from IQ-discrepant, compared with IQ-consistent, individuals. The important finding here is that we have established an increased sensitivity to Aβ + LPS stimulation in PBMCs from individuals that under-perform on a memory task, relative to their estimated premorbid IQ, which may be an indicator of early cognitive decline. This may be a useful tool in determining the presence of early cognitive dysfunction.

Phenotyping CD4+ hTh2 Cells by Flow Cytometry: Simultaneous Detection of Transcription Factors, Secreted Cytokines, and Surface Markers

Flow cytometry is a powerful technique that allows simultaneous detection of multiple markers on a specific cell population. This method is virtually unlimited as long as the specimen of interest can be put into a single-cell suspension for staining and subsequent analysis by the flow cytometer. Most investigators using this methodology are doing so because their cell population is rare in frequency and requires multiple markers to characterize their population of interest; thus standard methods such as Western blot and IHC are unsuitable due to limitations in cell number and the number of markers available. Most investigators using this method are using 6-14 parameters to study their cell populations of interest: however, using a large number of fluorochrome-labeled antibodies is hampered by the fact that suboptimal fluorochromes must be used, and that high and low cell density markers must be chosen with care. This is further complicated when the cell markers of interest are cytokines, transcription factors, surface markers, and/or phosphorylated proteins, each potentially requiring a specialized buffer system for optimal detection of the antibody of interest. This chapter focuses on optimizing flow cytometry staining methods for simultaneous detection of surface markers, transcription factors, secreted cytokines, and phosphorylated antibodies in a single stain on CD4+ human Th2 cells.

Alterations of oxygen consumption and extracellular acidification rates by glutamine in PBMCs of SLE patients

We evaluated plasma glutamine levels and basal mitochondrial oxygen consumption rate (mOCR_B) and basal extracellular acidification rate (ECAR_B) of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of systemic lupus erythematous (SLE) patients and healthy controls (HCs). Lower plasma glutamine levels correlated with higher SLE disease activity indexes (p=0.025). Incubated in DMEM containing 100mg/dL glucose, SLE-PBMCs displayed lower mOCR_B (p=0.018) but similar ECAR_B (p=0.467) to those of HC-PBMCs, and their mOCR_B got elevated (p<0.001) without altering ECAR_B (p=0.239) by supplementation with 2 or 4mM glutamine. We conclude that impaired mitochondrial respiration of SLE-PBMCs could be improved by glutamine under euglycemic condition.

B-Cell ELISpot Assay to Quantify Antigen-Specific Antibody-Secreting Cells in Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells

Peripheral blood is commonly used to assess the cellular and humoral immune responses in clinical studies. It is a convenient sample to collect for immunological research as compared to the surgically excised and biopsied lymphoid specimens. To determine the functional status of immune system from peripheral blood, the enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISpot) assay is a popular method of choice owing to its high sensitivity, great accuracy, and easy performance. The ELISpot allows detection and quantification of cellular functionality at the single-cell level. Therefore, ELISpot assay is commonly applied to detect cytokines and cytotoxic granules released from T cells as well as to measure antibodies secreted from B cells. Because the ELISpot assay has been increasingly used for evaluation of the vaccine efficacy in clinical trials, standardization and reproducibility are crucial to minimize assay variability amongst samples from different sources. Here we introduce methods to isolate human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) for quantification of the antigen-specific antibody-secreting cells using the ELISpot assay.

BDNF levels are increased in peripheral blood of middle-aged amateur runners with no changes on histone H4 acetylation levels

Our aim was to compare the basal levels of plasma brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and global histone H4 acetylation in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of healthy amateur runners (EXE group) with sedentary individuals (SED group) as well as to investigate the acute effect of a running race on these markers in the EXE group. Five days before the race, all participants were submitted to a basal blood collection. On the race day, two blood samples were collected in the EXE group before the running started and immediately at the end. In the basal period, a significant increase of plasma BDNF levels in the EXE individuals when compared to the SED group (p = 0.036) was demonstrated, while no difference in global histone H4 acetylation levels was observed. These parameters were unaltered in the EXE group after the race. The increased levels of BDNF might be linked to healthy middle-aged runners' phenotype.

Expression of HTLV-1 Genes in T-Cells Using RNA Electroporation

Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) infects about 20 million people world-wide. Around 5% of the infected individuals develop adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) or a neurological disease termed tropical spastic paraparesis (TSP) after a clinical latency of years to decades. Through the use of two promoters and alternative splicing HTLV-1 expresses at least 12 different proteins. HTLV-1 establishes a life-long persistent infection by inducing the clonal expansion of infected cells, a property largely ascribed to the viral genes Tax and HBZ. However, the fact that ATL arises in a minority of infected individuals after a long clinical latency suggests the existence of factors counterbalancing the oncogenic potential of HTLV-1 in the context of natural infection.To study the role of the different HTLV-1 gene products in the HTLV-1 life cycle, we optimized a transfection protocol for primary T-cells using an approach based on the electroporation of in vitro-transcribed RNA. Results showed that the RNA transfection technique combines a high transfection efficiency with low toxicity, not only in Jurkat T-cells but also in primary T-cells. These findings suggest that RNA electroporation is preferable for experiments aimed at investigating the role of HTLV-1 gene products in the context of primary T-cells, which represent the main target of HTLV-1 in vivo.

Imbalance between the anti- and pro-inflammatory milieu in blood leukocytes of autistic children

Accumulating evidence suggests an association between immune dysfunction and autism disorders in a significant subset of children. In addition, an imbalance between pro- and anti-inflammatory pathways has been proposed to play an important role in the pathogenesis of several neurodevelopmental disorders including autism; however, the role of anti-inflammatory molecules IL-27 and CTLA-4 and pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-21 and IL-22 has not previously been explored in autistic children. In the current study, we investigated the expression of IL-21, IL-22, IL-27, and CD152 (CTLA-4) following an in-vitro immunological challenge of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from children with autism (AU) or typically-developing children (TD) with phorbol-12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and ionomycin. In our study, cells from children with AU had increased IL-21 and IL-22 and decreased CTLA-4 expression on CD4+ T cells as compared with cells from the TD control. Similarly, AU cells showed decreased IL-27 production by CD14+ cells compared to that of TD control cells. These results were confirmed by real-time PCR and western blot analyses. Our study shows dysregulation of the immune balance in cells from autistic children as depicted by enhanced pro-inflammatory cytokines, 'IL-21/IL-22' and decreased anti-inflammatory molecules, 'IL-27/CTLA-4'. Thus, further study of this immune imbalance in autistic children is warranted in order to facilitate development of biomarkers and therapeutics.

Different microRNA alterations contribute to diverse outcomes following EV71 and CA16 infections: Insights from high-throughput sequencing in rhesus monkey peripheral blood mononuclear cells

Enterovirus 71 (EV71) and Coxsackievirus A16 (CA16) are the predominant pathogens of hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD). Although these viruses exhibit genetic homology, the clinical manifestations caused by the two viruses have some discrepancies. In addition, the underlying mechanisms leading to these differences remain unclear. microRNAs (miRNAs) participate in numerous biological or pathological processes, including host responses to viral infections. Here, we focused on differences in miRNA expression patterns in rhesus monkey peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) infected with EV71 and CA16 at various time points using high-throughput sequencing. The results demonstrated that 106 known and 13 novel miRNAs exhibited significant differences, and 32 key miRNAs among them for target prediction presented opposite trends in the EV71- and CA16-infected samples. GO and pathway analysis of the predicted targets showed enrichment in 14 biological processes, 10 molecular functions, 8 cellular components and 104 pathways. Subsequently, regulatory networks of miRNA-transcription factors, miRNA-predicted targets, miRNA-GOs and miRNA-pathways were constructed to reveal the complex regulatory mechanisms of miRNAs during the infection phase. Ultimately, we analysed hierarchical GO categories of the predicted targets involved in immune system processes, which indicated that the innate and adaptive immunity following EV71 and CA16 infections may be remarkably distinct. In conclusion, this report is the first describing miRNA expression profiles in PBMCs with EV71 and CA16 infections using high-throughput sequencing. Our findings could provide a valuable basis for further studies on the regulatory roles of miRNAs related to the different immune responses caused by EV71 and CA16 infections.

Transcriptional up-regulation of BMP-4 and BMPR-II genes in the peripheral blood of breast cancer patients: A pilot study

BACKGROUND

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) belong to the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) super family, which are primarily known for their inherent role in osteogenesis and ontogenesis. Accumulating evidence suggests the regulatory role of BMP-4 in cellular proliferation, apoptosis, differentiation and thus a possible oncogenic role.

OBJECTIVE

Variable cellular expression and in vitro functional assays are indicative of the involvement of BMP related signaling in Breast cancer (BC). The differential expression of BMP-4 in the peripheral blood of BC patients may therefore be considered as a potential biomarker. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate transcriptional expression of BMP-4 and its cognate receptor BMPR-II in the peripheral blood from the BC patients in relation to the healthy individuals.

METHODS

The expression pattern of BMP-4 and BMPR-II was analyzed in the blood of breast cancer patients (n = 22) and healthy controls (n = 22) through Semi Quantitative Reverse transcription Polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTS

An up-regulated expression of BMP-4 and BMPR-II was observed in the peripheral blood of breast cancer patients especially in the advanced-stage of the disease. Moreover, BMP-4 and BMPR-II expressions were found to be correlated.

CONCLUSION

The current preliminary results based on the transcriptional analysis suggest the prospective use of BMP4 as a biomarker, however further validation is required.

Histone hypoacetylation and increased histone deacetylases in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with Graves' disease

The objective of this study was to investigate histone modification patterns in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of patients with Graves' disease (GD). Thirty GD patients and 20 healthy controls were enrolled in this study. Global histone H3/H4 acetylation levels of PBMCs in all subjects were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. mRNA levels of histone-related chromatin modifier genes were measured by real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Global histone H4 acetylation level in PBMCs of GD patients was significantly decreased compared with controls (p=0.005). The mRNA expression of histone deacetylases HDAC1 and HDAC2 were significantly increased in PBMCs of GD patients compared with controls (p=0.004 and 0.018; respectively). No significant difference was observed either in SIRT1 or in HATs mRNA including p300, CREBBP between GD patients and controls (p>0.05). Our findings firstly suggested that histone acetylation modifications are aberrant in PBMCs of GD patients, possibly due to the deregulation of epigenetic modifier genes.

Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) is correlated with delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) and poor prognosis in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage

Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) is one of key players in regulation of inflammation. Animal experiments have suggested an important role of TLR4 in the pathophysiology of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). In present study, TLR4 is investigated in clinical SAH patients to explore its clinical significance. 30 patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) and 20 healthy control patients (HC) were enrolled in this prospective study. Blood samples were collected on days 1, 3 and 7 after admission. TLR4 expression level on cell surface of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was determined by flow cytometry and presented as mean fluorescence intensity (MFI). Patients were clinically assessed every day after admission to monitor the occurrence of delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI). Participants were followed up until completion of 3 months after SAH. Functional outcome was defined by modified Rankin score (mRs). Results show that SAH patients presented a significantly higher TLR4 levels on days 1 and 3 post SAH compared to HC; TLR4 levels in SAH patients on day 1 was highest compared with that on days 3 and 7 and in HC. TLR4 of SAH patients on day 7 declined to the level showing no significant difference with that of HC. In patients with Hunt-Hess grades I-III lower TLR4 levels were observed. Patients with DCI showed significantly higher TLR4 levels than those without DCI. High TLR4 levels were statistically significantly associated with poor functional outcome after 3 months. Logistic regression analysis showed that TLR4 level on day 1 was independent predictor for DCI and 3-month poor neurological outcome of aneurysmal SAH patients. In summary, admission TLR4 level on PBMCs (day 1) is an independent risk factor to predict the occurrence of DCI and 3-month poor neurological outcome in aneurysmal SAH patients.

In vitro rapid clearance of infectious bursal disease virus in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of chicken lines divergent for antibody response might be related to the enhanced expression of proinflammatory cytokines

Infectious bursal disease (IBD) is an acute and highly contagious viral disease of young chickens caused by infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV). An effective way to control IBDV would be to breed chickens with a reduced susceptibility to IBDV infection. In the present work, we used chickens selected for high and low specific responses to sheep red blood cells (SRBC) (H and L, respectively) to assess the susceptibility of differential immune competent animals to IBDV infection. The peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of high SRBC line (HL) and low SRBC line (LL) were infected with IBDV and viral RNA loads were determined at different time post-IBDV infection. Chicken orthologues of the T helper 1 (Th1) cytokines, interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and interleukin-2 (IL-2); a Th2 cytokine, IL-10; a pro inflammatory cytokine, IL-6; the CCL chemokines, chCCLi2, chCCLi4 and chCCLi7; colony stimulating factor, GM-CSF; and a anti-inflammatory cytokine, transforming growth factor β-2 (TGFβ-2) were quantified. The expression of chCCLi2, chCCLi4 and chCCLi7 was significantly higher in L line as compared to H line. However, in H line the viral RNA loads were significantly lower than in L line. Therefore, the upregulated chemokines might be associated with the susceptibility to IBDV. The expression of IFN-γ, IL-2 and IL-6 was significantly higher in H line as compared to L line. We assume that the higher proinflammatory cytokines expression in H line might be related to the rapid clearance of virus from PBMCs. Significantly higher levels of IL-10 and TGFβ-2 mRNAs in L line might be related to the pathogenesis of IBDV. In conclusion, selection for antibody responses appears to influence the expression profiles of chemokines and cytokines against IBDV. Further, the selection for high SRBC response might improve the immuno-competence of chickens against IBDV.

Comparison of the Pharmacological Efficacies of Immunosuppressive Drugs Evaluated by the ATP Production and Mitochondrial Activity in Human Lymphocytes

The lymphocyte immunosuppressant sensitivity test (LIST) using patient peripheral lymphocytes can predict the therapeutic efficacy of immunosuppressive drugs used in renal transplantation. We have evaluated the pharmacological efficacy of drugs by using the LIST with the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, which measures the cellular mitochondrial activity. The LIST with the MTT assay requires a relatively large amount of blood. As such, we developed a new assay for examining drug sensitivity with a CellTiter-Glo assay, which measures the amount of cellular ATP to help increase the assay's sensitivity and reduce the amount of blood needed. Renal transplant recipients generally receive either cyclosporine or tacrolimus, in addition to mycophenolate mofetil and methylprednisolone, as an immunosuppressive therapy to prevent acute rejection. We evaluated the pharmacological efficacy of these immunosuppressive agents with both the MTT and CellTiter-Glo assays using the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of 21 healthy volunteers. Furthermore, we also examined the relationship between these immunosuppressive agents' pharmacological efficacy and the results of the MTT and CellTiter-Glo assays. The IC50 values for cyclosporine, tacrolimus, mycophenolic acid, and methylprednisolone were significantly correlated between the MTT and CellTiter-Glo assays. The amount of blood cells required for LIST with the CellTiter-Glo assay was able to be reduced to 25% of the amount required for the previously established LIST with the MTT assay procedure. We concluded from these observations that the LIST with the CellTiter-Glo assay should be used instead of the MTT assay for carrying out individualized immunosuppressive therapy in renal transplantation patients.