Liposome formulations with prolonged circulation time in blood and enhanced uptake by tumors

The rapid clearance of circulating liposomes from the bloodstream, coupled with their high uptake by liver and spleen, has thus far been an obstacle to any attempts at targeting to tumors. We have assessed the impact of liposome composition on their clearance from the circulation in normal and tumor-bearing mice and on their uptake by tumors and various normal tissues. By selective changes in lipid composition, while maintaining a mean particle diameter of approximately equal to 100 nm, we have achieved up to a 60-fold increase in the fraction of recovered dose present in blood 24 hr after i.v. injection. Concomitantly, there was a decrease by a factor of 4 of the recovered dose localizing in the liver and spleen, the major organs of the reticuloendothelial system. Parallel experiments in tumor-bearing mice demonstrated a 25-fold increase of the liposome concentration in the tumor when formulations with long and short blood residence time were compared. The most favorable results were obtained with liposomes containing a small molar fraction of a negatively charged glycolipid, such as monosialoganglioside or phosphatidylinositol, and a solid-phase neutral phospholipid as the bulk component. The bio-distribution of such formulations is of considerable therapeutic potential in cancer for increasing the concentration of cytotoxic agents in tumors while minimizing the likelihood of toxicity to the reticuloendothelial system.

LAT palmitoylation: its essential role in membrane microdomain targeting and tyrosine phosphorylation during T cell activation

The linker molecule LAT is a critical substrate of the tyrosine kinases activated upon TCR engagement. Phosphorylated LAT binds Grb2, PLC-gamma1, and other signaling molecules. We demonstrate that human LAT is palmitoylated and that palmitoylated LAT predominantly localizes into glycolipid-enriched microdomains (GEMs). Although the LAT transmembrane domain is sufficient for membrane localization, palmitoylation at C26 and C29 is essential for efficient partitioning into GEMs. LAT palmitoylation is necessary for its tyrosine phosphorylation. After T cell activation, most tyrosine-phosphorylated LAT molecules and a fraction of PLC-gamma1 and other signaling molecules are present in GEMs. LAT is central to T cell activation and is a novel linker molecule shown to require targeting to membrane microdomains for signaling.

Identification of an IL-17-producing NK1.1(neg) iNKT cell population involved in airway neutrophilia

Invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells are an important source of both T helper type 1 (Th1) and Th2 cytokines, through which they can exert beneficial, as well as deleterious, effects in a variety of inflammatory diseases. This functional heterogeneity raises the question of how far phenotypically distinct subpopulations are responsible for such contrasting activities. In this study, we identify a particular set of iNKT cells that lack the NK1.1 marker (NK1.1^neg) and secrete high amounts of interleukin (IL)-17 and low levels of interferon (IFN)-γ and IL-4. NK1.1^neg iNKT cells produce IL-17 upon synthetic (α-galactosylceramide [α-GalCer] or PBS-57), as well as natural (lipopolysaccharides or glycolipids derived from Sphingomonas wittichii and Borrelia burgdorferi), ligand stimulation. NK1.1^neg iNKT cells are more frequent in the lung, which is consistent with a role in the natural immunity to inhaled antigens. Indeed, airway neutrophilia induced by α-GalCer or lipopolysaccharide instillation was significantly reduced in iNKT-cell–deficient Jα18^−/− mice, which produced significantly less IL-17 in their bronchoalveolar lavage fluid than wild-type controls. Furthermore, airway neutrophilia was abolished by a single treatment with neutralizing monoclonal antibody against IL-17 before α-GalCer administration. Collectively, our findings reveal that NK1.1^neg iNKT lymphocytes represent a new population of IL-17–producing cells that can contribute to neutrophil recruitment through preferential IL-17 secretion.

A glycophospholipid membrane anchor acts as an apical targeting signal in polarized epithelial cells

Glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol- (GPI) anchored proteins contain a large extracellular protein domain that is linked to the membrane via a glycosylated form of phosphatidylinositol. We recently reported the polarized apical distribution of all endogenous GPI-anchored proteins in the MDCK cell line (Lisanti, M. P., M. Sargiacomo, L. Graeve, A. R. Saltiel, and E. Rodriguez-Boulan. 1988. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 85:9557-9561). To study the role of this mechanism of membrane anchoring in targeting to the apical cell surface, we use here decay-accelerating factor (DAF) as a model GPI-anchored protein. Endogenous DAF was localized on the apical surface of two human intestinal cell lines (Caco-2 and SK-CO15). Recombinant DAF, expressed in MDCK cells, also assumed a polarized apical distribution. Transfer of the 37-amino acid DAF signal for GPI attachment to the ectodomain of herpes simplex glycoprotein D (a basolateral antigen) and to human growth hormone (a regulated secretory protein) by recombinant DNA methods resulted in delivery of the fusion proteins to the apical surface of transfected MDCK cells. These results are consistent with the notion that the GPI anchoring mechanism may convey apical targeting information.

Tissue receptor for cholera exotoxin: postulated structure from studies with GM1 ganglioside and related glycolipids

By a double-diffusion precipitation-in-gel technique, isolated cholera toxin as well as its natural toxoid were shown to be fixed and precipitated by the ganglioside G(M1) but not by any of the related glycolipids G(M3), G(M2), G(M1)-GlcNAc, G(D1a), G(D1b), G(T1), globoside, G(A1), and tetrahexoside-GlcNAc. Twenty-five nanograms of G(M1) was enough to give a precipitation line with 1.2 mug of toxin, whereas about 50 ng was required with this amount of toxoid. G(M1) also inactivated the toxin in the ileal loop as well as in the intradermal models in rabbits. A 1: 1 molar ratio of ganglioside to toxin was found limiting, e.g., 100 pg of G(M1) could inactivate 5 ng (about 50 blueing doses) of isolated toxin. G(M1) inactivated crude toxin (culture fil rate) with the same efficiency as isolated toxin, and the inactivating capacity of G(M1) was unaffected by mixing with other gangliosides, indicating the specificity in the reaction between G(M1) and toxin. The other glycolipids tested did not inactivate toxin except G(D1a) and G(A1) which did so with approximately 1,000 times less efficiency than G(M1). This identified the portion Gal --> GalNAc [Formula: see text] as the critical region in G(M1) for toxin fixation, and it is postulated that this may be the tissue receptor structure for the cholera toxin.

Adsorptive removal of methylene blue by rhamnolipid-functionalized graphene oxide from wastewater

In this article, a rhamnolipid-functionalized graphene oxide (RL-GO) hybrid was prepared by one-step ultrasonication and adsorptive removal of methylene blue (MB) from both artificial and real wastewater by the RL-GO was investigated. The Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectrum (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) area and Zeta potential analysis were used to characterize the adsorbent. The results showed that RL-GO had abundant functional groups and a mesopores feature. MB adsorption by the RL-GO increased with increase in adsorbent dose, pH, temperature and initial MB concentration, while it was insensitive to ionic strength variation. The adsorption kinetics fitted well to the pseudo-second-order model with correlation coefficients greater than 0.999. The Intra-particle diffusion and Boyd's film-diffusion models showed that the rate-controlled step was dominated by film-diffusion in the beginning and then followed by intra-particle diffusion. The adsorption isotherm was fitted by adsorption models with the suitability in order of BET > Freundlich > Langmuir > Temkin, based on comparison between correlation coefficients. Thermodynamic analysis of equilibriums suggested that the adsorption MB on RL-GO was spontaneous and endothermic. The adsorption mechanism was also proposed to be electrostatic attraction, π-π interaction and hydrogen bond. In addition, the real wastewater experiment, the regeneration study and the comparative cost analysis showed that the RL-GO composites could be a cost-effective and promising sorbent for MB wastewater treatment owing to its high efficiency and excellent reusability.

Biosurfactant-enhanced removal of total petroleum hydrocarbons from contaminated soil

A screening method was developed to evaluate the oil removal capability of biosurfactants for oil-contaminated soils collected from a heavy oil-polluted site. The ability of removing total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) from soil by two biosurfactants was identified and compared with that of synthetic surfactants. The results show that biosurfactants exhibited much higher TPH removal efficiency than the synthetic ones examined. By using 0.2 mass% of rhamnolipids, surfactin, Tween 80, and Triton X-100, the TPH removal for the soil contaminated with ca. 3,000 mg TPH/kg dry soil was 23%, 14%, 6%, and 4%, respectively, while removal efficiency increased to 63%, 62%, 40%, and 35%, respectively, for the soil contaminated with ca. 9000 mg TPH/kg dry soil. The TPH removal efficiency also increased with an increase in biosurfactant concentration (from 0 to 0.2 mass%) but it did not vary significantly for the contact time of 1 and 7 days.

Structural requirements for the carbohydrate ligand of E-selectin

The acute inflammatory response requires that circulating leukocytes adhere to, and then migrate through, the vascular wall at the site of injury or infection. Several receptors have been implicated in this adhesion and migration process, including the selectins, a family of carbohydrate-binding proteins. The ligand for one of these proteins, E-selectin (LECAM-2, ELAM-1) has been described by several groups to contain a polylactosamine structure bearing a terminal sialic acid residue and at least one fucose residue. We report here a more detailed investigation into the minimum structural requirements for carbohydrate recognition by E-selectin. Using both direct binding and inhibition studies we demonstrate that the sialyl Lewisx tetrasaccharides Sia(alpha 2-3)Gal(beta 1-4)[Fuc(alpha 1-3)]GlcNAc, and Sia(alpha 2-3)Gal(beta 1-4)[Fuc(alpha 1-3)]Glc are the smallest oligosaccharides recognized by the lectin. In addition, an oligosaccharide containing the sialyl Lewisa epitope is also recognized, but less avidly. We propose a structural model of functional groups necessary for recognition by E-selectin, based on these data and additional experiments on modifications of sialic acid and the reducing terminal saccharide.

Aggregates are the biologically active units of endotoxin

For the elucidation of the very early steps of immune cell activation by endotoxins (lipopolysaccharide, LPS) leading to the production and release of proinflammatory cytokines the question concerning the biologically active unit of endotoxins has to be addressed: are monomeric endotoxin molecules able to activate cells or is the active unit represented by larger endotoxin aggregates? This question has been answered controversially in the past. Inspired by the observation that natural isolates of lipid A, the lipid moiety of LPS harboring its endotoxic principle, from Escherichia coli express a higher endotoxic activity than the same amounts of the synthetic E. coli-like hexaacylated lipid A (compound 506), we looked closer at the chemical composition of natural isolates. We found in these isolates that the largest fraction was hexaacylated, but also significant amounts of penta- and tetraacylated molecules were present that, when administered to human mononuclear cells, may antagonize the induction of cytokines by biologically active hexaacylated endotoxins. We prepared separate aggregates of either compound 506 or 406 (tetraacylated precursor IVa), mixed at different molar ratios, and mixed aggregates containing both compounds in the same ratios. Surprisingly, the latter mixtures showed higher endotoxic activity than that of the pure compound 506 up to an admixture of 20% of compound 406. Similar results were obtained when using various phospholipids instead of compound 406. These observations can only be understood by assuming that the active unit of endotoxins is the aggregate. We further confirmed this result by preparing monomeric lipid A and LPS by a dialysis procedure and found that, at the same concentrations, only the aggregates were biologically active, whereas the monomers showed no activity.

Size Distribution of Fat Globules in Human Colostrum, Breast Milk, and Infant Formula

Only a few results are available on the size of human milk fat globules (MFG), despite its significance regarding fat digestion in the infant, and no data are available at <24 h postpartum (PP). We measured the MFG size distribution in colostrum and transitional human milk in comparison with fat globules of mature milk and infant formula. Colostrum and transitional milk samples from 18 mothers were collected regularly during 4 d PP and compared with mature milk samples of 17 different mothers and 4 infant formulas. The size distribution was measured by laser light scattering. For further characterization, the zeta-potential of some mature MFG was measured by laser Doppler electrophoresis. The MFG diameter decreased sigmoidally in the first days. At <12 h PP, the mode diameter was 8.9 +/- 1.0 microm vs 2.8 +/-0.3 microm at 96 h PP. Thus, the surface area of MFG increased from 1.1 +/-0.3 to 5.4 +/-0.7 m2/g between colostrum and transitional milk. In mature milk, the MFG diameter was 4 microm on average and increased with advancing lactation, whereas the droplets in infant formula measured 0.4 microm. The zeta potential of mature MFG was -7.8 +/- 0.1 mV. The fat globules are larger in early colostrum than in transitional and mature human milk and in contrast with the small-sized fat droplets in infant formula. Human MFG also have a low negative surface charge compared with bovine globules. These structural differences can be of nutritional significance for the infant.

TLR4-mediated inflammatory activation of human coronary artery endothelial cells by LPS

OBJECTIVE

Blood levels of cytokines are commonly elevated in severe congestive heart failure (CHF) and in coronary artery disease (CAD). While the adverse effects of cytokines on contractile function and myocardial cell integrity are well studied, little is known on whether cardiac cells are only targets or active players in these inflammatory reactions.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We tested if human coronary artery endothelial cells (HCAEC) may become a source of cytokine and adhesion molecule expression when stimulated with bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Analysis of HCAEC supernatants by ELISA identified enhanced secretion of IL-6, IL-8, and MCP-1 while endothelin-1 was not increased. IL-1beta, IL-10, or TNF-alpha were not detectable by ELISA while RT-PCR revealed enhanced mRNA expression of IL-1beta and TNF-alpha but not IL-10. FACS analysis showed an LPS-induced upregulation of ICAM-1, VCAM, and ELAM-1. LFA-1 could not be detected. We further characterized receptors involved in LPS-induced signaling. Our results indicate that activation of HCAEC by LPS requires Toll-like receptor (TLR) 4. Pretreating the cells with the 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl CoA (HMG CoA) reductase inhibitor Cerivastatin reduced IL-6 release.

CONCLUSIONS

Taken together, our results indicate that activated HCAEC may act as inflammatory cells and thus directly contribute to the progression of CHF and CAD.

Polystyrene microplastic exposure disturbs hepatic glycolipid metabolism at the physiological, biochemical, and transcriptomic levels in adult zebrafish

Microplastics (MPs), which are new types of environmental pollutants, have recently received widespread attention worldwide. MPs can accumulate in the bodies of animals and in plants, and they can also enter the human body through the food chain. However, knowledge of the effects of MPs on the health of animals is still limited. In this experiment, adult male zebrafish were exposed to 20 or 100 μg/L of 5 μm polystyrene MP for 21 days in an attempt to determine the hepatic effects related to glycolipid metabolism at the biochemical and transcriptomic levels. It was found that body weight and condition factor decreased significantly in zebrafish after exposure to 20 and 100 μg/L polystyrene MP for 21 days. The transcription levels of major genes related to glycolipid metabolism decreased significantly in the liver. Correspondingly, the levels of major biochemical parameters, including Glu, pyruvic acid, α-ketoglutaric acid and IDH, were also decreased in the livers of exposed zebrafish, especially those in the 100 μg/L polystyrene MP-treated group. Moreover, the data on the hepatic transcriptome also confirmed that some genes related to fatty acid metabolism, amino acid metabolism and carbon metabolism tended to be decreased in the livers of exposed zebrafish. Taken together, our data confirmed that polystyrene PS-MP can induce hepatic glycolipid metabolism disorder at the physiological, biochemical, and transcriptomic levels in adult zebrafish after 21 days of exposure.