FcgammaRI (CD64) contributes substantially to severity of arthritis, hypersensitivity responses, and protection from bacterial infection

The high-affinity receptor for IgG, FcgammaRI, shares its capacity to bind IgG2a immune complexes (IgG2a-IC) with the low-affinity receptor FcgammaRIII and complement factors, hampering the definition of its biological role. Moreover, in vivo, FcgammaRI is occupied by monomeric IgG2a, reducing its accessibility to newly formed IgG2a-IC. By using a variety of FcgammaR(-/-) mice, we demonstrate that in the absence of FcgammaRI, the IgG2a-IC-induced cellular processes of phagocytosis, cytokine release, cellular cytotoxicity, and antigen presentation are impaired. FcgammaRI(-/-) mice showed impaired hypersensitivity responses, strongly reduced cartilage destruction in an arthritis model, and impaired protection from a bacterial infection. We conclude that FcgammaRI contributes substantially to a variety of IgG2a-IC-dependent immune functions and immunopathological responses.

Resistance of activated human Th2 cells to NO-induced apoptosis is mediated by gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase

Activation-induced death of inflammatory cells (AICD) has an important function in immune maintenance. Type 1 Th cells are known to be more susceptible to AICD than Th2 cells. In the current study we examined whether NO-induced apoptosis also preferentially eliminates Th1 cells over Th2 cells. Naive human Th lymphocytes (CD4(+)CD45RO(-)) were activated in vitro for 1 week in the presence of IL-12 plus anti-IL-4 or IL-4 plus anti-IL-12 to generate Th1- and Th2-polarized cultures respectively. Cultures were exposed to the NO donors Spermine-nonoate (Sper) and DPTA-nonoate to study NO-induced apoptosis. We found that NO preferentially induced apoptosis in Th1-polarized cells as demonstrated by Annexin staining in the presence of 10 microM Sper (70 +/- 16 versus 23 +/- 4.4% in Th2 cells P: < 0.01) and by DioC6 staining (38 +/- 10 versus 11 +/- 5% in Th2 cells, P: < 0.01). The mechanism of NO-induced apoptosis in Th1/Th2-polarized cells was distinct from AICD and Fas-induced apoptosis. Differential sensitivity between Th1- and Th2-polarized cultures originated at the level of intracellular glutathione (GSH) metabolism. GSH levels were higher in Th2 cells (1.6 +/- 0.2-fold Th1, P: < 0.01). High intracellular GSH in Th2-polarized cells did not account for reduced susceptibility to NO per se, since the inhibition of gamma-glutamyltrans-peptidase (gamma-GT), which is involved in GSH import, sensitized Th2 cells to NO-induced apoptosis without GSH depletion. Therefore, higher activity of gamma-GT in Th2 cells (2.1 +/- 0.4-fold Th1, P: < 0.001) specifically protects Th2 cells against NO-induced apoptosis. Preferential NO-induced elimination of human Th1 cells at sites of inflammation may thus select Th2 cells and contribute to immune deviation.

Nitric oxide selectively decreases interferon-gamma expression by activated human T lymphocytes via a cGMP-independent mechanism

The role of exogenous nitric oxide (NO) on the expression of interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, IL-5 and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) by freshly isolated human T lymphocytes was investigated. The presence of NO, generated from any of the NO-donor compounds, S-nitroso-N-acetyl-D,L-penicillamine (SNAP), DPTA-nonoate (DPTA) or DETA-nonoate (DETA), added 15 min prior to T-cell stimulation (for 24 hr) with anti-CD3/anti-CD28 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), resulted in up to 50% inhibition of IL-4, IL-5 and IFN-gamma secretion. In contrast, IL-2 secretion was not inhibited. Using the guanylate cyclase inhibitor, LY83583, it was shown that the inhibition of IL-4 and IL-5 was cGMP dependent, whereas additional mechanisms mediated the inhibition of IFN-gamma. Exposure of T cells to the NO-donor compounds for 24 hr prior to stimulation resulted in a more pronounced inhibition of IFN-gamma secretion by DPTA and DETA (P < 0.01), despite the fact that NO generation could no longer be detected. Under these conditions, IL-4 secretion was not inhibited and IL-5 secretion was inhibited to a lesser extent (P < 0.01 for SNAP and DPTA, P > 0.05 for DETA). IL-2 secretion was inhibited after 24 hr of preincubation with the NO-donor compounds, whereas it was not directly affected by NO. The increased inhibitory effects on IFN-gamma and IL-2 secretion could not be accounted for by the antiproliferative effects of the NO-donor compounds, which were diminished after 24 hr of preincubation relative to 15 min of preincubation. For IFN-gamma, the inhibition was at least partially effected at the transcriptional level as shown by decreased mRNA accumulation. These data show that NO can modulate the balance between the expression, by human T-lymphocytes, of T helper 1- and T helper 2-type cytokines, through selective and persistent inhibition of the expression of IFN-gamma via a cGMP-independent mechanism.

Relation between effects of a set of anti-allergic drugs on calcium pathways and membrane structure in Fc epsilon RI activated signal transduction

The antigen induced stimulation of mast cells by aggregation of Fc epsilon RI receptors activates a signal transduction cascade leading to release of mediators of inflammation like histamine, arachidonic acid metabolites and cytokines. In this study we investigated a series of structurally related anti-allergic drugs, containing a common lipophilic diphenylmethyl piperazinyl tail and head groups that differ in lipophilicity. Effects of these drugs on various steps of the signal transduction cascade was investigated to gain insight into the mechanism of action of these drugs. It appeared that addition of the drugs to resting cells induced changes in the tyrosine phosphorylation of cellular proteins. The most active anti-allergics in inhibiting exocytosis, AL3264 and oxatomide, also induced the largest changes in phosphorylation. The effects of the drugs on tyrosine phosphorylation after cell activation was complex. Additionally, Ca2+ fluxes were investigated. Ca2+ efflux from the cells was negligibly influenced by the active drugs. However, the drugs inhibited influx from extracellular Ca2+, which was correlated with the effects of the drugs on inhibition of exocytosis and on membrane stabilization induced by the drugs, measured as haemolysis of erythrocytes. It is concluded that inhibition of Ca2+ influx is the major mechanism with which these drugs inhibit exocytosis and that for this effect drug-membrane interactions, possibly affecting the function of membrane embedded proteins, are of importance. Possible mechanisms including drug-membrane interactions, phosphorylation and inhibition of Ca2+ influx are discussed.