In experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, the acute phase of the disease is produced by T-helper lymphocyte type 1 (TH1), which produces mainly TNFalpha and IFNgamma. Recovery from the disease is mediated by T-helper lymphocyte types 2 and 3 (TH2/TH3), which, among other cytokines, produce transforming growth factor beta (TGFbeta). To address the influence of TGFbeta on TH1-induced gene expression, microarray technology was used on murine primary microglial cells stimulated with IFNgamma and TNFalpha in the absence or presence of TGFbeta. The resulting data from an investigation of up to 5,500 genes provided the notion that TGFbeta prevents the induction of a proinflammatory gene program within microglia exposed to a TH1 milieu. TH1 cytokines upregulated 175 genes comprising cytokine, chemokine, and genes involved in host response to infection and the TNFalpha/IFNgamma intracellular signaling pathway. It is observed that TGFbeta inhibits expression of 25% of the TNFalpha/IFNgamma-induced genes and a further 66 TNFalpha/IFNgamma-independent genes. The focus of TGFbeta inhibition is observed to be directed in genes involved in chemotaxis (IL-15, CXCL1, CXCL2, CCL3, CCL4, CCL5, CCL9), chemokine receptors (CCR5, CCR9), LIF receptor, and FPR2, and on genes mediating cell migration (MMP9, MMP13, MacMARCKS, endothelin receptor B, Ena/VASP, Gas7), apoptosis (FAS, TNF, TNF receptor, caspase-1 and -11), and host response to infection (toll-like receptor 6, Mx-1, and MARCO). Taken collectively, the data strongly suggest that one of the main effects of TGFbeta is to impair cell entry into the CNS and to hinder migration of microglia in the CNS parenchyma.

BACKGROUND

Inhaled lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induces a dose-dependent, acute neutrophilic response in the airways of healthy volunteers that can be quantified in induced sputum. Chemokines, such as CXCL1 and CXCL8, play an important role in neutrophilic inflammation in the lung through the activation of CXCR2 and small molecule antagonists of these receptors have now been developed. We investigated the effect of AZD8309, a CXCR2 antagonist, compared with placebo on LPS-induced inflammation measured in sputum of healthy volunteers.

METHODS

Twenty healthy subjects were randomized in a double-blind placebo-controlled, cross-over study. AZD8309 (300 mg) or placebo was dosed twice daily orally for 3 days prior to challenge with inhaled LPS and induced sputum was collected 6 h later.

RESULTS

Treatment with AZD8309 showed a mean 77% reduction in total sputum cells (p < 0.001) and 79% reduction in sputum neutrophils (p < 0.05) compared with placebo after LPS challenge. There was also a reduction in neutrophil elastase activity (p < 0.05) and CXCL1 (p < 0.05) and trends for reductions in sputum macrophages (47%), leukotriene B4 (39%) and CXCL8 (52%).

CONCLUSIONS

AZD8309 inhibited LPS-induced inflammation measured in induced sputum of normal volunteers, indicating that this treatment may be useful in the treatment of neutrophilic diseases of the airways, such as COPD, severe asthma and cystic fibrosis.

BACKGROUND

NCT00860821.

The role of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) in osteosarcoma (OS), the most common primary tumor of bone, has not been extensively elucidated. We have recently shown that OS is characterized by interstitial acidosis, a microenvironmental condition that is similar to a wound setting, in which mesenchymal reactive cells are activated to release mitogenic and chemotactic factors. We therefore intended to test the hypothesis that, in OS, acid-activated MSC influence tumor cell behavior. Conditioned media or co-culture with normal MSC previously incubated with short-term acidosis (pH 6.8 for 10 hr, H+ -MSC) enhanced OS clonogenicity and invasion. This effect was mediated by NF-κB pathway activation. In fact, deep-sequencing analysis, confirmed by Real-Time PCR and ELISA, demonstrated that H+ -MSC differentially induced a tissue remodeling phenotype with increased expression of RelA, RelB and NF-κB1, and downstream, of CSF2/GM-CSF, CSF3/G-CSF and BMP2 colony-promoting factors, and of chemokines (CCL5, CXCL5 and CXCL1), and cytokines (IL6 and IL8), with an increased expression of CXCR4. An increased expression of IL6 and IL8 were found only in normal stromal cells, but not in OS cells, and this was confirmed in tumor-associated stromal cells isolated from OS tissue. Finally, H+ -MSC conditioned medium differentially promoted OS stemness (sarcosphere number, stem-associated gene expression), and chemoresistance also via IL6 secretion. Our data support the hypothesis that the acidic OS microenvironment is a key factor for MSC activation, in turn promoting the secretion of paracrine factors that influence tumor behavior, a mechanism that holds the potential for future therapeutic interventions aimed to target OS.

Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) is essential for eliciting protective immunity during the acute phase of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) infection in the central nervous system (CNS). We previously demonstrated that microglial IL-1β production in response to live S. aureus is mediated through the Nod-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, including the adapter protein ASC (apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase-1 recruitment domain), and pro-caspase 1. Here, we utilized NLRP3, ASC, and caspase 1/11 knockout (KO) mice to demonstrate the functional significance of inflammasome activity during CNS S. aureus infection. ASC and caspase 1/11 KO animals were exquisitely sensitive, with approximately 50% of mice succumbing to infection within 24 h. Unexpectedly, the survival of NLRP3 KO mice was similar to wild-type animals, suggesting the involvement of an alternative upstream sensor, which was later identified as absent in melanoma 2 (AIM2) based on the similar disease patterns between AIM2 and ASC KO mice. Besides IL-1β, other key inflammatory mediators, including IL-6, <em>CXCL1</em>, <em>CXCL1</em>0, and CCL2 were significantly reduced in the CNS of AIM2 and ASC KO mice, implicating autocrine/paracrine actions of IL-1β, as these mediators do not require inflammasome processing for secretion. These studies demonstrate a novel role for the AIM2 inflammasome as a critical molecular platform for regulating IL-1β release and survival during acute CNS S. aureus infection.

Neutrophilic airway inflammation is a hallmark of patients with severe asthma. Although we have reported that both IL-33 and IL-17A contributed to IgE-mediated neutrophilic inflammation in mice, the relationship remains unclear. In this article, we examined how IL-17A modifies IL-33-induced neutrophilic inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR). IL-33 was intratracheally administered to BALB/c mice on days 0-2; furthermore, on day 7, the effect of the combination of IL-33 and IL-17A was evaluated. Compared with IL-33 or IL-17A alone, the combination exacerbated neutrophilic inflammation and AHR, associated with more increased levels of lung glutamic acid-leucine-arginine(+) CXC chemokines, including CXCL1, CXCL2, and CXCL5, and infiltration by alveolar macrophages expressing CXCR2. Treatment with anti-CXCR2 mAb or depletion of alveolar macrophages repressed neutrophilic inflammation and AHR; in addition, depletion of neutrophils suppressed AHR. These findings prompted us to examine the role of CXCR2 in IgE-sensitized mice; a single treatment with anti-CXCR2 mAb in the seventh Ag challenge inhibited late-phase airway obstruction, AHR, and neutrophilic inflammation. In addition to inhibition, multiple treatments during the fourth to seventh challenge attenuated early-phase airway obstruction, eosinophilic inflammation, and goblet cell hyperplasia associated with the reduction of Th2 cytokine production, including IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13. Collectively, IL-33 cooperated with IL-17A to exacerbate AHR by enhancing neutrophilic inflammation via CXCR2 signaling; furthermore, CXCR2 signaling derived Th2 responses. We thus suggest the underlying mechanisms of IL-33 and IL-17A in allergic asthma and CXCR2 as potential therapeutic targets for the disease.

The inflammatory response is characterized by the induction (or repression) of hundreds of genes. The activity of many of these genes is controlled by MAPKs and the IkappaB kinase-NFkappaB pathway. To reveal the effects of blocking these pathways simultaneously, fibroblasts were infected with retroviruses encoding TAK1K63W, an inactive mutant of the protein kinase TAK1. Expression of this protein inhibited tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-induced activation of NFkappaB, JNK, and p38 MAPK and sensitized the cells to TNF-induced apoptosis. 23 different microarray experiments were used to analyze the expression of >7000 genes in these cells. We identified 518 genes that were regulated by TNF in both TAK1K63W-expressing cells and control cells, 37 genes induced by TNF only when TAK1K63W was present, and 48 TNF-induced genes that were suppressed by TAK1K63W. The TNF-inducible genes that were most strongly suppressed by TAK1K63W, ccl2, ccl7, ccl5, <em>cxcl1</em>, cxcl5, <em>cxcl1</em>0, saa3, and slpi also had much lower basal levels of expression, indicating that TAK1 also played a role in their normal expression. Chromatin immunoprecipitation studies on four of these genes suggested that inactivation of TAK1 activity led to direct suppression of expression at the transcriptional level because of impaired recruitment of RNA polymerase II to their promoters. ccl2 induction by TNF or interleukin-1 was also suppressed in cells that expressed TAK1 antisense RNA or that were genetically deficient in JNK1/2 or p65 NFkappaB. These data suggest that regulation of the expression of a selected group of inflammation-related genes is funneled through TAK1, making it a potentially useful target for more specific anti-inflammatory drug development.

Gemcitabine is a nucleoside analog with clinical relevance in the treatment of several solid tumors, including breast carcinoma. In spite of its cytotoxic effect, clinical efficacy is impaired by the development of resistance. We performed gene expression analysis to shed light into the molecular mechanism of action of this drug in two breast cancer cell lines. Activation of genes related with cell cycle, cell growth and apoptosis (BNIP3L, CCNG2, DDIT4, TGFB2, TP53BP1, TP53INP1, and VEGF) was the main finding in the p53-wild type cell line MCF7, while the p53-non-functional cell line MDA-MB-231 was characterized by the regulation of NF-kappaB target genes (BIRC3, CXCL1/GRO1, IRAK2, TNF, TNFAIP and TRAF1). Genes consistently induced (ATF3, CCNG2, CDKN1A, EGR1, INSIG1, and MAF) or repressed (CCND1 and VGF) in both cell lines, were also found after gemcitabine treatment. In addition, MDA-MB-231 cells showed a higher basal and induced NF-kappaB transcriptional activity after treatment with gemcitabine. In comparison with gemcitabine, gene expression after 5-fluorouracil treatment showed essentially different profiles in both cell lines. This, in spite of using equitoxic concentrations producing similar effects on cell cycle. NF-kappaB transcriptional activity in MDA-MB-231 cells was dependent on IkappaB-alpha phosphorylation, as shown by functional experiments using the specific inhibitor BAY11-7082. Moreover, immunohistochemical analysis of clinical samples of breast carcinoma further validated the induction of NF-kappaB expression and IkappaB down-regulation upon neoadjuvant gemcitabine treatment. Thus, gene expression patterns, in vitro functional studies and analysis of tissue samples are in agreement with a role for NF-kappaB pathway in gemcitabine response. Together with the reported role for NF-kappaB in the induction of resistance to chemotherapy, our data gives support to clinical strategies combining gemcitabine with NF-kappaB inhibitors in breast cancer.

Disease progression in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is characterized by degeneration of motoneurons (MN) and their axons, but is also influenced by neighboring cells such as astrocytes and microglial cells. The role of microglia in ALS is complex as it switches from an anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective phenotype in early disease to a proinflammatory and neurotoxic phenotype in later stages. Our previous studies in models of neurodegeneration identified rho kinase (ROCK) as a target, which can be manipulated to beneficially influence disease progression. Here, we examined the neuroprotective potential of the ROCK inhibitor Fasudil to target the central pathogenic features of ALS. Application of Fasudil to kainic acid-lesioned primary MN in vitro resulted in a strong prosurvival effect. In vivo, SOD1(G93A) mice benefited from oral treatment with Fasudil showing prolonged survival and improved motor function. These findings were correlated to an improved survival of motor neurons and a pronounced alteration of astroglial and microglial cell infiltration of the spinal cord under Fasudil treatment. Modeling a proinflammatory microglial phenotype by stimulation with LPS in vitro, Fasudil decreased the release of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines TNFα, Il6, CCL2, CCL3, and CCL5 while CXCL1 release was only transiently suppressed. In sciatic nerve motor axons, neuromuscular junction remodeling processes were increased. In conclusion, we provide preclinical and neurobiological evidence that inhibition of ROCK by the clinically approved small molecule inhibitor Fasudil may be a novel therapeutic approach in ALS combining both neuroprotection and immunomodulation for the cure of this devastating disease.

Class B scavenger receptors (SR-B) are lipoprotein receptors that also mediate pathogen recognition, phagocytosis, and clearance as well as pathogen-induced signaling. In this study we report that three members of the SR-B family, namely, CLA-1, CLA-2, and CD36, mediate recognition of bacteria not only through interaction with cell wall LPS but also with cytosolic chaperonin 60. HeLa cells stably transfected with any of these SR-Bs demonstrated markedly (3- to 5-fold) increased binding and endocytosis of Escherichia coli, LPS, and chaperonin 60 (GroEL) as revealed by both FACS analysis and confocal microscopy imaging. Increased pathogen (E. coli, LPS, and GroEL) binding to SR-Bs was also associated with the dose-dependent stimulation of cytokine secretion in the order of CD36>> CLA-2>> CLA-1 in HEK293 cells. Pathogen-induced IL-6-secretion was reduced in macrophages from CD36- and SR-BI/II-null mice by 40-50 and 30-40%, respectively. Intravenous GroEL administration increased plasma IL-6 and CXCL1 levels in mice. The cytokine responses were 40-60% lower in CD36(-/-) relative to wild-type mice, whereas increased cytokine responses were found in SR-BI/II(-/-) mice. While investigating the discrepancy of in vitro versus in vivo data in SR-BI/II deficiency, SR-BI/II(-/-) mice were found to respond to GroEL administration without increases in either plasma corticosterone or aldosterone as normally seen in wild-type mice. SR-BI/II(-/-) mice with mineralocorticoid replacement demonstrated an ∼40-50% reduction in CXCL1 and IL-6 responses. These results demonstrate that, by recognizing and mediating inflammatory signaling of both bacterial cell wall LPS and cytosolic GroEL, all three SR-B family members play important roles in innate immunity and host defense.

Nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) is a ubiquitous transcription factor that regulates immune and cell-survival signaling pathways. NF-κB has been reported to be present in neurons wherein it reportedly responds to immune and toxic stimuli, glutamate, and synaptic activity. However, because the brain contains many cell types, assays specifically measuring neuronal NF-κB activity are difficult to perform and interpret. To address this, we compared NF-κB activity in cultures of primary neocortical neurons, mixed brain cells, and liver cells, employing Western blot of NF-κB subunits, electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) of nuclear κB DNA binding, reporter assay of κB DNA binding, immunofluorescence of the NF-κB subunit protein p65, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of NF-κB-regulated gene expression, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) of produced proteins. Assay of p65 showed its constitutive presence in cytoplasm and nucleus of neurons at levels significantly lower than in mixed brain or liver cells. EMSA and reporter assays showed that constitutive NF-κB activity was nearly absent in neurons. Induced activity was minimal--many fold lower than in other cell types, as measured by phosphorylation and degradation of the inhibitor IκBα, nuclear accumulation of p65, binding to κB DNA consensus sites, NF-κB reporting, or induction of NF-κB-responsive genes. The most efficacious activating stimuli for neurons were the pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) and interleukin-beta (IL-β). Neuronal NF-κB was not responsive to glutamate in most assays, and it was also unresponsive to hydrogen peroxide, lipopolysaccharide, norepinephrine, ATP, phorbol ester, and nerve growth factor. The chemokine gene transcripts CCL2, <em>CXCL1</em>, and <em>CXCL1</em>0 were strongly induced via NF-κB activation by TNFα in neurons, but many candidate responsive genes were not, including the neuroprotective genes SOD2 and Bcl-xL. Importantly, the level of induced neuronal NF-κB activity in response to TNFα or any other stimulus was lower than the level of constitutive activity in non-neuronal cells, calling into question the functional significance of neuronal NF-κB activity.

TNFα-stimulated gene-6 (TSG6), a 30-kDa protein generated by activated macrophages, modulates inflammation; however, its mechanism of action and role in the activation of macrophages are not fully understood. Here we observed markedly augmented LPS-induced inflammatory lung injury and mortality in TSG6-/- mice compared with WT (TSG6+/+) mice. Treatment of mice with intratracheal instillation of TSG6 prevented LPS-induced lung injury and neutrophil sequestration, and increased survival in mice. We found that TSG6 inhibited the association of TLR4 with MyD88, thereby suppressing NF-κB activation. TSG6 also prevented the expression of proinflammatory proteins (iNOS, IL-6, TNFα, IL-1β, and CXCL1) while increasing the expression of anti-inflammatory proteins (CD206, Chi3l3, IL-4, and IL-10) in macrophages. This shift was associated with suppressed activation of proinflammatory transcription factors STAT1 and STAT3. In addition, we observed that LPS itself up-regulated the expression of TSG6 in TSG6+/+ mice, suggesting an autocrine role for TSG6 in transitioning macrophages. Thus, TSG6 functions by converting macrophages from a proinflammatory to an anti-inflammatory phenotype secondary to suppression of TLR4/NF-κB signaling and STAT1 and STAT3 activation.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common tumor-related causes of death worldwide for which there is still no satisfactory treatment. We previously reported the antiangiogenic effect of gefitinib, a selective epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor that has been used successfully to treat lung cancer. In this study, we investigated the effects of gefitinib on tumor-induced angiogenesis by using HCC cell lines (HCC3, CBO12C3, and AD3) in vitro as well as in vivo. Oral administration of gefitinib inhibited angiogenesis induced by HCC3 and CBO12C3, but not by AD3 in the mouse dorsal air sac model. Production of both vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and chemokine C-X-C motif ligand 1 (CXCL1) by EGF-stimulated HCC was more markedly inhibited by gefitinib in HCC3 and CBO12C3 cells than in AD3 cells. EGF stimulated the phosphorylation of EGFR, Akt, and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) in HCC3 and CBO12C3 cells, whereas EGF stimulated phosphorylation of EGFR and ERK1/2, but not Akt in AD3 cells. In fact, Akt was constitutively activated in the absence of EGF in AD3 cells. Gefitinib inhibited Akt phosphorylation in all three cell lines, but it was about five times less effective in AD3 cells. The concentration of PTEN in AD3 cells was about a half that in HCC3 and CBO12C3 cells. Transfection of HCC3 cells with PTEN small interfering RNA reduced their sensitivity to gefitinib in terms of its inhibitory effect on both Akt phosphorylation and the production of VEGF and CXCL1. In conclusion, effect of gefitinib on HCC-induced angiogenesis depends on its inhibition of the production of angiogenic factors, probably involving a PTEN/Akt signaling pathway.

The Nod-like receptor proteins Nod1 and Nod2 participate in innate immune responses against bacteria through intracellular detection of peptidoglycan, a component of bacterial cell wall. Recent evidence has demonstrated that Nod1 stimulates the release of chemokines that attract neutrophils at the site of infection, such as CXCL8/IL-8 in humans, and CXCL1/keratinocyte-derived chemokine and CXCL2/MIP-2 in mice. We aimed to determine whether Nod proteins could trigger the release of CCL5/RANTES, a chemokine known to attract a number of immune cells, but not neutrophils. Our results demonstrate that activation of both Nod1 and Nod2 results in substantial secretion of CCL5 by murine macrophages. Moreover, in vivo, the intraperitoneal injection of murine Nod1 or Nod2 agonists resulted in a rapid secretion of CCL5 into the bloodstream. We also observed that Nod-dependent secretion of CCL5 did not correlate with the induction of the interferon-beta pathway, a major signaling cascade for the activation of CCL5 by viruses. In contrast, we identified a key role of the NF-kappaB pathway in Nod-dependent stimulation of the CCL5 promoter. Together, these results identify a novel target downstream of Nod1 and Nod2, which is likely to play a key role in orchestrating the global Nod-dependent immune defense during bacterial infections.

Ozone has potent oxidizing properties, and exposure to ozone causes airway hyper-responsiveness (AHR) and lung inflammation. We determined the importance of c-Jun NH(2) terminal kinase (JNK), a member of the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway, in ozone-induced AHR and inflammation. SP600125 [anthra[1,9-cd] pyrazol-6 (2H)-one], a specific JNK inhibitor (30 mg/kg) or vehicle, was administered by intraperitoneal injection before and after ozone exposure (3 ppm for 3 h). SP600125 significantly reduced total cells, and neutrophils in bronchoalveolar fluid recovered at 20 to 24 h after exposure and inhibited ozone-induced AHR. Ozone exposure induced activation of JNK in the lung as measured by the expression of phosphorylated-c-Jun, an effect abolished by SP600125. Gene-microarray analysis revealed that ozone increased the expression of over 400 genes by more than 2-fold, including interleukin-6 (IL-6), CXCL1 (keratinocyte cytokine), and CCL2 (monocyte chemoattractant protein-1). SP600125 modulated the expression of a subset of 29 ozone-induced genes; IL-6 and CCL2 expression were further increased, whereas the expression of metallothionein 1, hemopexin, and mitogen-activated 3 kinase 6 was decreased in SP600125-treated ozone-exposed mice. Changes in mRNA for IL-6, CXCL1, and CCL2 were confirmed by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Ozone also decreased the expression of over 500 genes, with the most potent effect on angiopoietin-1. SP600125 modulated the expression of 15 of these genes, and in particular, SP600125 reversed ozone-induced decrease in expression of the redox-sensitive transcription factor, hypoxia-induced factor-1alpha. This study highlights an important role for JNK in response to oxidative stress through modulation of specific inflammatory and redox mediators. Inhibition of JNK with small molecule kinase inhibitors may be a means of reducing ozone-induced inflammation and AHR.

HSV-1 is the leading cause of sporadic viral encephalitis, with mortality rates approaching 30% despite treatment with the antiviral drug of choice, acyclovir. Permanent neurologic deficits are common in patients that survive, but the mechanism leading to this pathology is poorly understood, impeding clinical advancements in treatment to reduce CNS morbidity. Using magnetic resonance imaging and type I IFN receptor-deficient mouse chimeras, we demonstrate HSV-1 gains access to the murine brain stem and subsequently brain ependymal cells, leading to enlargement of the cerebral lateral ventricle and infection of the brain parenchyma. A similar enlargement in the lateral ventricles is found in a subpopulation of herpes simplex encephalitic patients. Associated with encephalitis is an increase in <em>CXCL1</em> and <em>CXCL1</em>0 levels in the cerebral spinal fluid, TNF-α expression in the ependymal region, and the influx of neutrophils of encephalitic mouse brains. Reduction in lateral ventricle enlargement using anti-secretory factor peptide 16 reduces mortality significantly in HSV-1-infected mice without any effect on expression of inflammatory mediators, infiltration of leukocytes, or changes in viral titer. Microglial cells but not infiltrating leukocytes or other resident glial cells or neurons are the principal source of resistance in the CNS during the first 5 d postinfection through a Toll/IL-1R domain-containing adapter inducing IFN-β-dependent, type I IFN pathway. Our results implicate lateral ventricle enlargement as a major cause of mortality in mice and speculate such an event transpires in a subpopulation of human HSV encephalitic patients.

OBJECTIVE

Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) that express glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) are located between the sinusoidal endothelial cells and hepatocytes. HSCs are activated during liver injury and cause hepatic fibrosis by producing excessive extracellular matrix. HSCs also produce many growth factors, chemokines and cytokines, and thus may play an important role in acute liver injury. However, this function has not been clarified due to unavailability of a model, in which HSCs are depleted from the normal liver.

METHODS

We treated mice expressing HSV-thymidine kinase under the GFAP promoter (GFAP-Tg) with 3 consecutive (3 days apart) CCl4 (0.16 μl/g; ip) injections to stimulate HSCs to enter the cell cycle and proliferate. This was followed by 10-day ganciclovir (40 μg/g/day; ip) treatment, which is expected to eliminate actively proliferating HSCs. Mice were then subjected to hepatic ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) or endotoxin treatment.

RESULTS

CCl4/ganciclovir treatment caused depletion of the majority of HSCs (about 64-72%), while the liver recovered from the initial CCl4-induced injury (confirmed by histology, serum ALT and neutrophil infiltration). The magnitude of hepatic injury due to I/R or endotoxemia (determined by histopathology and serum ALT) was lower in HSC-depleted mice. Their hepatic expression of TNF-α, neutrophil chemoattractant CXCL1 and endothelin-A receptor also was significantly lower than the control mice.

CONCLUSIONS

HSCs play an important role both in I/R- and endotoxin-induced acute hepatocyte injury, with TNF-α and endothelin-1 as important mediators of these effects.

The mammalian cornea contains an extensive network of resident macrophages and dendritic cells. To determine the role of these cells in LPS-induced corneal inflammation, TLR4(-/-) mice were sublethally irradiated and reconstituted with bone marrow cells from either enhanced GFP (eGFP)(+)/C57BL/6 or eGFP(+)/TLR4(-/-) mice. The corneal epithelium was abraded, LPS was added topically, and cellular infiltration to the corneal stroma and development of corneal haze were examined after 24 h. TLR4(-/-) mice reconstituted with C57BL/6, but not TLR4(-/-) bone marrow cells donor cells were found to cause infiltration of eGFP(+) cells to the cornea, including neutrophils, and also increased corneal haze compared with saline-treated corneas. In a second experimental approach, corneas of transgenic macrophage Fas induced apoptosis (Mafia) mice were stimulated with LPS. These mice express eGFP and a suicide gene under control of the c-fms promoter, and systemic treatment with the FK506 dimerizer (AP20187) causes Fas-mediated apoptosis of monocytic cells. AP20187-treated mice had significantly fewer eGFP(+) cells in the cornea than untreated mice. After stimulation with LPS neutrophil recruitment and development of corneal haze were impaired in AP20187-treated mice compared with untreated controls. Furthermore, LPS induced CXCL1/KC and IL-1alpha production within 4 h in corneas of untreated Mafia mice, which is before cellular infiltration; however, cytokine production was impaired after AP20187 treatment. Together, results from both experimental approaches demonstrate an essential role for resident corneal monocytic lineage cells (macrophages and dendritic cells) in development of corneal inflammation.

Dysregulated inflammation has been implicated in cystic fibrosis (CF) airway pathophysiology. The expression of inflammatory genes, like interleukin 8 (IL8), involves chromatin remodeling through histone acetylation. Inflammatory gene hyperacetylation could explain inflammatory mediator dysregulation seen in CF airways. CF airways are exposed to high levels of oxidative stress, and oxidative stress increases histone acetylation and inflammatory gene transcription. Loss of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) may even reduce protection against oxidative stress. Consequently, increasing oxidative stress would likely lead to an imbalance of histone acetyl-transferase (HAT) and deacetylase (HDAC) stoichiometry and contribute to the heightened inflammatory response seen in the CF airway. We hypothesize that oxidative stress in CF airways causes increased acetylation of inflammatory gene promoters, contributing to transcriptional activity of these loci. Messenger RNA levels of IL8, IL6, CXCL1, CXCL2, CXCL3, and IL1 are significantly elevated in CF epithelial cell models. Histone H4 acetylation is lower at the IL8 promoter of the non-CF cell lines than the CF models. The reducing agent N-acetyl-cysteine decreases IL8 message and promoter H4 acetylation to non-CF levels, suggesting that oxidative stress contributes to IL8 expression in these models. H(2)O(2) treatment causes increased IL-8 acetylation and mRNA in all cells, but less in the CF-model cells. Together these data suggest a model in which cells without functional CFTR are under increased oxidative stress. Our data suggest intrinsic alterations in the HAT/HDAC balance in CFTR-deficient cells, and that oxidative stress contributes to this alteration.

Neutrophil specific chemokines are potent chemoattractants for neutrophils. IL-8/CXCL8 is the most extensively studied member of this group, and its concentrations increase during inflammatory conditions of the newborn infant including sepsis and chronic lung disease. A significant amount of information exists on the effects of IL-8/CXCL8 on neutrophil chemotaxis of neonates, but little is known about the other neutrophil specific chemokines. The aim of this study was to determine the relative potency of the neutrophil specific chemokines on chemotaxis of neonatal neutrophils and to compare this effect with the effect on adult neutrophils. Neutrophils were isolated from cord blood or healthy adult donors and incubated in a Neuroprobe chemotaxis chamber. Chemokine concentrations ranging from 1-1000 ng/mL were used. Differences in chemotactic potency existed among the seven neutrophil specific chemokines. Specifically, at 100 ng/mL, the order was IL-8/CXCL8>GRO-alpha/CXCL1)GCP-2/CXCL6>NAP-2/CXCL7>ENA-78/CXCL5>GRO-gamma/CXCL2>GRO-beta/CXCL3. This pattern was observed for adult and neonatal neutrophils. We conclude that (1) neutrophils from cord blood exhibit the same pattern of potency for each ELR chemokine as neutrophils from adults, and (2) migration of neonatal neutrophils is significantly less than that of adults at every concentration examined except the lowest (1 ng/mL).

beta-Amyloid peptide accumulation in senile plaques in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease has been considered as a major cause of neuronal death. The present study demonstrated that the CXCR2 ligands macrophage inflammatory protein 2 (MIP-2), CXCL1, and CXCL8, protected hippocampal neurons against beta-amyloid (1-42) induced death. MIP-2-activated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2 and Akt and both the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 1 (MEK1) and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitors 2'-amino-3'-methoxyflavone (PD98059) and wortmannin reduced the neuroprotective effect of MIP-2. MIP-2 induced weak phosphorylation of ribosomal S6 kinase (RSK) 1 but remarkable phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of RSK2. MIP-2-induced phosphorylation of RSK2 was inhibited by PD98059 but not by wortmannin. MIP-2 treatment of the neuronal cells resulted in phosphorylation of Bad at both the Ser-112 and Ser-136. The phosphorylation at Ser-112 was blocked by PD98059, whereas the phosphorylation at Ser-136 was blocked by wortmannin. The transcription factor cyclic AMP response element binding protein (CREB) was phosphorylated by MIP-2 stimulation of the neuronal cells. MIP-2-induced CREB phosphorylation was reduced by both PD98059 and wortmannin. These data demonstrate that both MEK1-ERK1/2 and PI3K-Akt signaling pathways are involved in CXCR2-mediated neuroprotection and that multiple downstream signaling events, including RSKs, Bad, and CREB, are activated in this process.

We have recently reported that N-myc downstream-regulated gene 1 (NDRG1)/Ca(2+)-associated protein with a molecular mass of 43kDa (Cap43) suppresses angiogenesis and tumor growth of pancreatic cancer through marked decreases in both the expression of CXC chemokines and phosphorylation of a NF-kappaB signaling molecule, inhibitor of kappaB kinase (IkappaBalpha). NDRG1/Cap43 is phosphorylated at serine/threonine sites in its C-terminal domain by serum- and glucocorticoid-regulated kinase 1 (SGK1). In this study, we attempted to clarify the domain or site of NDRG1/Cap43 responsible for its suppression of CXC chemokine expression in pancreatic cancer cells. Expression of the deletion constructs CapDelta2 [deletion of amino acids (AA) 130-142] and CapDelta4 [deletion of AA 180-294] as well as the wild-type full sequence of NDRG1/Cap43 (F-Cap), suppressed the production of CXC chemokines such as Groalpha/CXCL1 and ENA-78/CXCL5, whereas no or low suppression was observed in cell expressing the CapDelta5 mutant [deletion of AA 326-350] and CapDelta6 mutant [deletion of AA 326-394]. We further introduced mutations at the serine and threonine sites at 328 [T328A], 330 [S330A] and 346 [T346A], which are susceptible to phosphorylation by SGK1, and also constructed double mutants [T328A, S330A], [T328A, T346A] and [S330A, T346A]. Expression of all these mutants, with the exception of [S330A, T346A], suppressed the production of CXC chemokine to similar levels as their wild-type counterpart. IkappaBalpha was found to be specifically phosphorylated by this double mutant [S330A, T346A] and the CapDelta5 mutant at levels comparable to that induced in their wild-type counterpart. Phosphorylation of NDRG1/Cap43 at both serine330 and threonine346 is required for its suppressive action on the NF-kappaB signaling pathway and CXC chemokine expression in pancreatic cancer cells.

Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) is characterized by cystic lung destruction caused by LAM cells (smooth-muscle-like cells) that have mutations in the tumor suppressor genes tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) 1 or 2 and have the capacity to metastasize. Since chemokines and their receptors function in chemotaxis of metastatic cells, we hypothesized that LAM cells may be recruited by chemokine(s) in the lung. Quantification of 25 chemokines in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from LAM patients and healthy volunteers revealed that concentrations of CCL2, CXCL1, and CXCL5 were significantly higher in samples from LAM patients than those from healthy volunteers. In vitro, CCL2 or MCP-1 induced selective migration of cells, showing loss of heterozygosity of TSC2 from a heterogeneous population of cells grown from explanted LAM lungs. Additionally, the frequencies of single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the CCL2 gene promoter region differed significantly in LAM patients and healthy volunteers (p = 0.018), and one polymorphism was associated significantly more frequently with the decline of lung function. The presence (i.e., potential functionality) of chemokine receptors was evaluated using immunohistochemistry in lung sections from 30 LAM patients. Expression of chemokines and these receptors varied among LAM patients and differed from that seen in some cancers (e.g., breast cancer and melanoma cells). These observations are consistent with the notion that chemokines such as CCL2 may serve to determine mobility and specify the site of metastasis of the LAM cell.

The role of CXCL9 and <em>CXCL1</em>0 in the ocular immune response to herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infection was investigated using mice deficient in either CXCL9 or <em>CXCL1</em>0. <em>CXCL1</em>0 but not CXCL9 deficient mice showed an increase in sensitivity to ocular virus infection as measured by an elevation in virus titer recovered in the tear film and corneal tissue. The increase in virus was associated with an increase in the expression of the chemokine CCL2 but no significant change in the infiltration of CD4(+) T cells or NK cells into the corneal stroma. In contrast, a significant reduction in CD4(+) T cell infiltration into the cornea was found in CXCL9 deficient mice following HSV-1 infection consistent with the absence of CXCL9 expression and reduction in expression of other chemokines including CCL3, CCL5, <em>CXCL1</em>, and <em>CXCL1</em>0. Collectively, the results suggest a non-redundant role for CXCL9 and <em>CXCL1</em>0 in response to ocular HSV-1 infection in terms of controlling virus replication and recruitment of CD4(+) T cells into the cornea.

Protein C (PC) plays an important role in vascular function, and acquired deficiency during sepsis is associated with increased mortality in both animal models and in clinical studies. This study explored the consequences of PC suppression on the kidney in a cecal ligation and puncture model of polymicrobial sepsis. This study shows that a rapid drop in PC after sepsis is strongly associated with an increase in blood urea nitrogen, renal pathology, and expression of known markers of renal injury, including neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, CXCL1, and CXCL2. The endothelial PC receptor, which is required for the anti-inflammatory and antiapoptotic activity of activated PC (APC), was significantly increased after cecal ligation and puncture as well as in the microvasculature of human kidneys after injury. Treatment of septic animals with APC reduced blood urea nitrogen, renal pathology, and chemokine expression and dramatically reduced the induction of inducible nitric oxide synthase and caspase-3 activation in the kidney. The data demonstrate a clear link between acquired PC deficiency and renal dysfunction in sepsis and suggest a compensatory upregulation of the signaling receptor. Moreover, these data suggest that APC treatment may be effective in reducing inflammatory and apoptotic insult during sepsis-induced acute renal failure.