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Goult BT, von Essen M, Hytönen VP. The mechanical cell - the role of force dependencies in synchronising protein interaction networks. J Cell Sci 2022; 135:283155. [PMID: 36398718 PMCID: PMC9845749 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.259769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The role of mechanical signals in the proper functioning of organisms is increasingly recognised, and every cell senses physical forces and responds to them. These forces are generated both from outside the cell or via the sophisticated force-generation machinery of the cell, the cytoskeleton. All regions of the cell are connected via mechanical linkages, enabling the whole cell to function as a mechanical system. In this Review, we define some of the key concepts of how this machinery functions, highlighting the critical requirement for mechanosensory proteins, and conceptualise the coupling of mechanical linkages to mechanochemical switches that enables forces to be converted into biological signals. These mechanical couplings provide a mechanism for how mechanical crosstalk might coordinate the entire cell, its neighbours, extending into whole collections of cells, in tissues and in organs, and ultimately in the coordination and operation of entire organisms. Consequently, many diseases manifest through defects in this machinery, which we map onto schematics of the mechanical linkages within a cell. This mapping approach paves the way for the identification of additional linkages between mechanosignalling pathways and so might identify treatments for diseases, where mechanical connections are affected by mutations or where individual force-regulated components are defective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin T. Goult
- School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury CT2 7NJ, Kent, UK,Authors for correspondence (; )
| | - Magdaléna von Essen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, FI-33100 Tampere, Finland
| | - Vesa P. Hytönen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, FI-33100 Tampere, Finland,Fimlab Laboratories, FI-33520 Tampere, Finland,Authors for correspondence (; )
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2
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Kukkurainen S, Azizi L, Zhang P, Jacquier MC, Baikoghli M, von Essen M, Tuukkanen A, Laitaoja M, Liu X, Rahikainen R, Orłowski A, Jänis J, Määttä JAE, Varjosalo M, Vattulainen I, Róg T, Svergun D, Cheng RH, Wu J, Hytönen VP, Wehrle-Haller B. The F1 loop of the talin head domain acts as a gatekeeper in integrin activation and clustering. J Cell Sci 2020; 133:jcs239202. [PMID: 33046605 PMCID: PMC10679385 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.239202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2019] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Integrin activation and clustering by talin are early steps of cell adhesion. Membrane-bound talin head domain and kindlin bind to the β integrin cytoplasmic tail, cooperating to activate the heterodimeric integrin, and the talin head domain induces integrin clustering in the presence of Mn2+ Here we show that kindlin-1 can replace Mn2+ to mediate β3 integrin clustering induced by the talin head, but not that induced by the F2-F3 fragment of talin. Integrin clustering mediated by kindlin-1 and the talin head was lost upon deletion of the flexible loop within the talin head F1 subdomain. Further mutagenesis identified hydrophobic and acidic motifs in the F1 loop responsible for β3 integrin clustering. Modeling, computational and cysteine crosslinking studies showed direct and catalytic interactions of the acidic F1 loop motif with the juxtamembrane domains of α- and β3-integrins, in order to activate the β3 integrin heterodimer, further detailing the mechanism by which the talin-kindlin complex activates and clusters integrins. Moreover, the F1 loop interaction with the β3 integrin tail required the newly identified compact FERM fold of the talin head, which positions the F1 loop next to the inner membrane clasp of the talin-bound integrin heterodimer.This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sampo Kukkurainen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Arvo Ylpön katu 34, FI-33520 Tampere, Finland
- Fimlab Laboratories, Biokatu 4, FI-33520 Tampere, Finland
| | - Latifeh Azizi
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Arvo Ylpön katu 34, FI-33520 Tampere, Finland
- Fimlab Laboratories, Biokatu 4, FI-33520 Tampere, Finland
| | - Pingfeng Zhang
- Molecular Therapeutics Program, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA 19111, USA
| | - Marie-Claude Jacquier
- Department of Cell Physiology and Metabolism, University of Geneva, Centre Médical Universitaire, Rue Michel-Servet 1, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland
| | - Mo Baikoghli
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, 1 Shields Ave, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Magdaléna von Essen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Arvo Ylpön katu 34, FI-33520 Tampere, Finland
- Fimlab Laboratories, Biokatu 4, FI-33520 Tampere, Finland
| | - Anne Tuukkanen
- EMBL Hamburg c/o DESY, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Mikko Laitaoja
- Department of Chemistry, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 111, FI-80101 Joensuu, Finland
| | - Xiaonan Liu
- Proteomics Unit, Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Rolle Rahikainen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Arvo Ylpön katu 34, FI-33520 Tampere, Finland
- Fimlab Laboratories, Biokatu 4, FI-33520 Tampere, Finland
| | - Adam Orłowski
- Proteomics Unit, Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Janne Jänis
- Department of Chemistry, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 111, FI-80101 Joensuu, Finland
| | - Juha A E Määttä
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Arvo Ylpön katu 34, FI-33520 Tampere, Finland
- Fimlab Laboratories, Biokatu 4, FI-33520 Tampere, Finland
| | - Markku Varjosalo
- Proteomics Unit, Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Ilpo Vattulainen
- Computational Physics Laboratory, Tampere University, FI-33520 Tampere, Finland
- Department of Physics, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 64, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tomasz Róg
- Computational Physics Laboratory, Tampere University, FI-33520 Tampere, Finland
- Department of Physics, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 64, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Dmitri Svergun
- EMBL Hamburg c/o DESY, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - R Holland Cheng
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, 1 Shields Ave, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Jinhua Wu
- Molecular Therapeutics Program, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA 19111, USA
| | - Vesa P Hytönen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Arvo Ylpön katu 34, FI-33520 Tampere, Finland
- Fimlab Laboratories, Biokatu 4, FI-33520 Tampere, Finland
| | - Bernhard Wehrle-Haller
- Department of Cell Physiology and Metabolism, University of Geneva, Centre Médical Universitaire, Rue Michel-Servet 1, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland
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3
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Mykuliak VV, Haining AWM, von Essen M, del Río Hernández A, Hytönen VP. Mechanical unfolding reveals stable 3-helix intermediates in talin and α-catenin. PLoS Comput Biol 2018; 14:e1006126. [PMID: 29698481 PMCID: PMC5940241 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1006126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2018] [Revised: 05/08/2018] [Accepted: 04/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Mechanical stability is a key feature in the regulation of structural scaffolding proteins and their functions. Despite the abundance of α-helical structures among the human proteome and their undisputed importance in health and disease, the fundamental principles of their behavior under mechanical load are poorly understood. Talin and α-catenin are two key molecules in focal adhesions and adherens junctions, respectively. In this study, we used a combination of atomistic steered molecular dynamics (SMD) simulations, polyprotein engineering, and single-molecule atomic force microscopy (smAFM) to investigate unfolding of these proteins. SMD simulations revealed that talin rod α-helix bundles as well as α-catenin α-helix domains unfold through stable 3-helix intermediates. While the 5-helix bundles were found to be mechanically stable, a second stable conformation corresponding to the 3-helix state was revealed. Mechanically weaker 4-helix bundles easily unfolded into a stable 3-helix conformation. The results of smAFM experiments were in agreement with the findings of the computational simulations. The disulfide clamp mutants, designed to protect the stable state, support the 3-helix intermediate model in both experimental and computational setups. As a result, multiple discrete unfolding intermediate states in the talin and α-catenin unfolding pathway were discovered. Better understanding of the mechanical unfolding mechanism of α-helix proteins is a key step towards comprehensive models describing the mechanoregulation of proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vasyl V. Mykuliak
- Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences and BioMediTech, University of Tampere, Finland and Fimlab Laboratories, Tampere, Finland
| | - Alexander William M. Haining
- Cellular and Molecular Biomechanics Laboratory, Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Magdaléna von Essen
- Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences and BioMediTech, University of Tampere, Finland and Fimlab Laboratories, Tampere, Finland
| | - Armando del Río Hernández
- Cellular and Molecular Biomechanics Laboratory, Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- * E-mail: (AdRH); (VPH)
| | - Vesa P. Hytönen
- Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences and BioMediTech, University of Tampere, Finland and Fimlab Laboratories, Tampere, Finland
- * E-mail: (AdRH); (VPH)
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4
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Rahikainen R, von Essen M, Schaefer M, Qi L, Azizi L, Kelly C, Ihalainen TO, Wehrle-Haller B, Bastmeyer M, Huang C, Hytönen VP. Mechanical stability of talin rod controls cell migration and substrate sensing. Sci Rep 2017; 7:3571. [PMID: 28620171 PMCID: PMC5472591 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-03335-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2017] [Accepted: 04/26/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Cells adhere to the surrounding tissue and probe its mechanical properties by forming cell-matrix adhesions. Talin is a critical adhesion protein and participates in the transmission of mechanical signals between extracellular matrix and cell cytoskeleton. Force induced unfolding of talin rod subdomains has been proposed to act as a cellular mechanosensor, but so far evidence linking their mechanical stability and cellular response has been lacking. Here, by utilizing computationally designed mutations, we demonstrate that stepwise destabilization of the talin rod R3 subdomain decreases cellular traction force generation, which affects talin and vinculin dynamics in cell-matrix adhesions and results in the formation of talin-rich but unstable adhesions. We observed a connection between talin stability and the rate of cell migration and also found that talin destabilization affects the usage of different integrin subtypes and sensing of extracellular matrix proteins. Experiments with truncated forms of talin confirm the mechanosensory role of the talin R3 subdomain and exclude the possibility that the observed effects are caused by the release of talin head-rod autoinhibition. In conclusion, this study provides evidence into how the controlled talin rod domain unfolding acts as a key regulator of adhesion structure and function and consequently controls central cellular processes such as cell migration and substrate sensing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rolle Rahikainen
- Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences and BioMediTech, University of Tampere, Finland and Fimlab Laboratories, Tampere, Finland
| | - Magdaléna von Essen
- Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences and BioMediTech, University of Tampere, Finland and Fimlab Laboratories, Tampere, Finland
| | - Markus Schaefer
- Zoological Institute, Cell- and Neurobiology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute of Functional Interfaces (IFG), Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Lei Qi
- Markey Cancer Center and Department of Molecular and Biomedical Pharmacology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Latifeh Azizi
- Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences and BioMediTech, University of Tampere, Finland and Fimlab Laboratories, Tampere, Finland
| | - Conor Kelly
- Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences and BioMediTech, University of Tampere, Finland and Fimlab Laboratories, Tampere, Finland
| | - Teemu O Ihalainen
- Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences and BioMediTech, University of Tampere, Finland and Fimlab Laboratories, Tampere, Finland
| | | | - Martin Bastmeyer
- Zoological Institute, Cell- and Neurobiology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute of Functional Interfaces (IFG), Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Cai Huang
- Markey Cancer Center and Department of Molecular and Biomedical Pharmacology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Vesa P Hytönen
- Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences and BioMediTech, University of Tampere, Finland and Fimlab Laboratories, Tampere, Finland.
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5
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von Essen M, Rahikainen R, Oksala N, Raitoharju E, Seppälä I, Mennander A, Sioris T, Kholová I, Klopp N, Illig T, Karhunen PJ, Kähönen M, Lehtimäki T, Hytönen VP. Talin and vinculin are downregulated in atherosclerotic plaque; Tampere Vascular Study. Atherosclerosis 2016; 255:43-53. [PMID: 27816808 DOI: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2016.10.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2016] [Revised: 10/12/2016] [Accepted: 10/14/2016] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Focal adhesions (FA) play an important role in the tissue remodeling and in the maintenance of tissue integrity and homeostasis. Talin and vinculin proteins are among the major constituents of FAs contributing to cellular well-being and intercellular communication. METHODS Microarray analysis (MA) and qRT-PCR low-density array were implemented to analyze talin-1, talin-2, meta-vinculin and vinculin gene expression in circulating blood and arterial plaque. RESULTS All analyzed genes were significantly and consistently downregulated in plaques (carotid, abdominal aortic and femoral regions) compared to left internal thoracic artery (LITA) control. The use of LITA samples as controls for arterial plaque samples was validated using immunohistochemistry by comparing LITA samples with healthy arterial samples from a cadaver. Even though the differences in expression levels between stable and unstable plaques were not statistically significant, we observed further negative tendency in the expression in unstable atherosclerotic plaques. The confocal tissue imaging revealed gradient of talin-1 expression in plaque with reduction close to the vessel lumen. Similar gradient was observed for talin-2 expression in LITA controls but was not detected in plaques. This suggests that impaired tissue mechanostability affects the tissue remodeling and healing capabilities leading to development of unstable plaques. CONCLUSIONS The central role of talin and vinculin in cell adhesions suggests that the disintegration of the tissue in atherosclerosis could be partially driven by downregulation of these genes, leading to loosening of cell-ECM interactions and remodeling of the tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdaléna von Essen
- BioMediTech, University of Tampere and Fimlab Laboratories, Tampere, Finland
| | - Rolle Rahikainen
- BioMediTech, University of Tampere and Fimlab Laboratories, Tampere, Finland
| | - Niku Oksala
- Dep. of Clinical Chemistry, Fimlab Laboratories, Tampere University Hospital and School of Medicine, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland; Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland
| | - Emma Raitoharju
- Dep. of Clinical Chemistry, Fimlab Laboratories, Tampere University Hospital and School of Medicine, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland
| | - Ilkka Seppälä
- Dep. of Clinical Chemistry, Fimlab Laboratories, Tampere University Hospital and School of Medicine, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland
| | - Ari Mennander
- Heart Center, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland
| | - Thanos Sioris
- Heart Center, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland
| | - Ivana Kholová
- Department of Pathology, Fimlab Laboratories, Tampere University Hospital and School of Medicine, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland
| | - Norman Klopp
- Hannover Unified Biobank, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Thomas Illig
- Hannover Unified Biobank, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany; Institute of Human Genetics, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany; Research Unit of Molecular Epidemiology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Pekka J Karhunen
- School of Medicine, University of Tampere and Fimlab Laboratories, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland
| | - Mika Kähönen
- Department of Clinical Physiology, Tampere University Hospital and School of Medicine, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland
| | - Terho Lehtimäki
- Dep. of Clinical Chemistry, Fimlab Laboratories, Tampere University Hospital and School of Medicine, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland
| | - Vesa P Hytönen
- BioMediTech, University of Tampere and Fimlab Laboratories, Tampere, Finland.
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6
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Haining AM, von Essen M, Attwood S, Hytönen VP, del Río Hernández A. All Subdomains of the Talin Rod Are Mechanically Vulnerable and May Contribute To Cellular Mechanosensing. ACS Nano 2016; 10:6648-58. [PMID: 27380548 PMCID: PMC4982699 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.6b01658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2016] [Accepted: 07/05/2016] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Although the relevance of mechanotransduction in cell signaling is currently appreciated, the mechanisms that drive this process remain largely unknown. Mechanical unfolding of proteins may trigger distinct downstream signals in cells, providing a mechanism for cellular mechanotransduction. Force-induced unfolding of talin, a prominent focal adhesion protein, has been demonstrated previously for a small portion of its rod domain. Here, using single-molecule atomic force microscopy (smAFM), we show that the entire talin rod can be unfolded by mechanical extension, over a physiological range of forces between 10 and 40 pN. We also demonstrate, through a combination of smAFM and steered molecular dynamics, that the different bundles within the talin rod exhibit a distinct hierarchy of mechanical stability. These results provide a mechanism by which different force conditions within the cell control a graduated unfolding of the talin rod. Mechanical unfolding of the rod subdomains, and the subsequent effect on talin's binding interactions, would allow for a finely tuned cellular response to internally or externally applied forces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander
William M. Haining
- Cellular
and Molecular Biomechanics Laboratory, Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Magdaléna von Essen
- BioMediTech, University of Tampere, Biokatu 6, FI-33520 Tampere, Finland
- Fimlab
Laboratories, Biokatu
4, FI-33520 Tampere, Finland
| | - Simon
J. Attwood
- Cellular
and Molecular Biomechanics Laboratory, Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Vesa P. Hytönen
- BioMediTech, University of Tampere, Biokatu 6, FI-33520 Tampere, Finland
- Fimlab
Laboratories, Biokatu
4, FI-33520 Tampere, Finland
| | - Armando del Río Hernández
- Cellular
and Molecular Biomechanics Laboratory, Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
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7
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Søndergaard SR, Essen MV, Schjerling P, Ullum H, Pedersen BK. Proliferation and telomere length in acutely mobilized blood mononuclear cells in HIV infected patients. Clin Exp Immunol 2002; 127:499-506. [PMID: 11966767 PMCID: PMC1906322 DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2249.2002.01790.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of the study was to investigate the mobilization of T cells in response to a stressful challenge (adrenalin stimulation), and to access T cells resided in the peripheral lymphoid organs in HIV infected patients. Seventeen patients and eight HIV seronegative controls received an adrenalin infusion for 1 h. Blood was sampled before, during and 1 h after adrenalin infusion. Proliferation and mean telomere restriction fragment length (telomeres) of blood mononuclear cells (BMNC) and purified CD8+ and CD4+ cells were investigated at all time points. In patients, the proliferation to pokeweed mitogens (PWM) was lower and decreased more during adrenalin infusion. After adrenalin infusion the proliferation to PWM was restored only in the controls. In all subjects telomeres in CD4+ cells declined during adrenalin infusion. Additionally, the patients had shortened telomeres in their CD8+ cells, and particularly HAART treated patients had shortened telomeres in all cell-subtypes. The finding that patients mobilized cells with an impaired proliferation to PWM during and after adrenalin infusion has possible clinical relevance for HIV infected patients during pathological stressful conditions, such as sepsis, surgery and burns. However, this study did not find a correlation between impaired proliferation and telomeres. It is concluded that physiological stress further aggravates the HIV-induced immune deficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- S R Søndergaard
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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