BACKGROUND

Mouse models are useful for studying cigarette smoke (CS)-induced chronic pulmonary pathologies such as lung emphysema. To enhance translation of large-scale omics data from mechanistic studies into pathophysiological changes, we have developed computational tools based on reverse causal reasoning (RCR).

OBJECTIVE

In the present study we applied a systems biology approach leveraging RCR to identify molecular mechanistic explanations of pathophysiological changes associated with CS-induced lung emphysema in susceptible mice.

METHODS

The lung transcriptomes of five mouse models (C57BL/6, ApoE (-/-) , A/J, CD1, and Nrf2 (-/-) ) were analyzed following 5-7 months of CS exposure.

RESULTS

We predicted 39 molecular changes mostly related to inflammatory processes including known key emphysema drivers such as NF-κB and TLR4 signaling, and increased levels of TNF-α, CSF2, and several interleukins. More importantly, RCR predicted potential molecular mechanisms that are less well-established, including increased transcriptional activity of PU.1, STAT1, C/EBP, FOXM1, YY1, and N-COR, and reduced protein abundance of ITGB6 and CFTR. We corroborated several predictions using targeted proteomic approaches, demonstrating increased abundance of CSF2, C/EBPα, C/EBPβ, PU.1, BRCA1, and STAT1.

CONCLUSIONS

These systems biology-derived candidate mechanisms common to susceptible mouse models may enhance understanding of CS-induced molecular processes underlying emphysema development in mice and their relevancy for human chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Apoptosis of human neutrophils is a crucial mechanism for the resolution of inflammation. We previously showed that insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF1) delays spontaneous neutrophil apoptosis without influencing the secretion of cytokines by these cells. In the present study, we further addressed the role of IGF1 in regulating neutrophil survival in the presence of other factors present during inflammation, and the mechanism involved in delaying apoptosis. We show that IGF1 delays neutrophil apoptosis triggered by the agonistic anti-Fas antibody CH11 and that the effect of IGF1 is comparable in magnitude to that of the acknowledged anti-apoptotic cytokines interferon-gamma (IFNG) and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF; now known as CSF2). Furthermore, IGF1 exerted additional effects on cell survival in the presence of these cytokines. IGF1 did not affect Fas expression or activation by anti-Fas of caspase-8, but inhibited the depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane. Inhibitor studies indicate that the phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K) pathway, but not the MEK-ERK pathway, mediates the effects of IGF1. However, in contrast to CSF2, IGF1 did not induce phosphorylation and translocation to the membrane of AKT, the canonical downstream target of PI3K. We therefore speculate that other downstream targets of PI3K are involved in the delay of neutrophil apoptosis by IGF1, possibly through stabilization of the mitochondrial membrane.

An investigation of the porcine response to gastrointestinal infection with Salmonella enterica serovars Choleraesuis (narrow host range) and Typhimurium (broad host range) revealed markedly different transcriptional profiles. Seven genes identified by suppression subtractive hybridization as up-regulated in the mesenteric lymph nodes at 24h (h) post-inoculation (p.i.) in serovar Choleraesuis-infected pigs (ARPC2, CCT7, HSPH1, LCP1, PTMA, SDCBP, VCP) and three genes in serovar Typhimurium-infected pigs (CD47/IAP, CXCL10, SCARB2) were analyzed by real-time PCR at 8h, 24 h, 48 h, 7 days (d) and 21 d p.i. A comparison between the two Salmonella infections revealed significant differences in transcriptional induction early in the infection (8-24h) for the serovar Typhimurium-infected pigs, whereas the serovar Choleraesuis-infected pigs exhibited significantly higher levels of gene expression at the later time points (48h-21 d), except for HSPH1. A similar gene expression trend was observed for immune-related genes involved in innate immunity and the inflammatory T helper 1 (Th1) response. Initial repression of gene expression in the serovar Choleraesuis-infected pigs from 8 to 48h p.i. (IFNG, IL12A, IL4, IL8, CSF2) coincided with extended transcriptional activation throughout the 21 d infection (IFNG, INDO, SOCS1, STAT1, IL1B, IL6, IL8, SLC11A1). The serovar Typhimurium-infected swine presented a more transient induction of immune-related genes (IFNG, INDO, IRF1, SOCS1, STAT1, IL1B, IL8, SLC11A1) early in the infection (24-48 h) followed by a significant repression of IL12A, IL12B, IL4, IL8 and CSF2. Collectively, these data reveal specific porcine genes with differences in gene expression kinetics that may be responsible for the variation in disease progression observed in swine infected with Typhimurium compared to Choleraesuis.

Hemocyanins induce a potent Th1-dominant immune response with beneficial clinical outcomes when used as a carrier/adjuvant in vaccines and nonspecific immunostimulant in cancer. However, the mechanisms by which hemocyanins trigger innate immune responses, leading to beneficial adaptive immune responses, are unknown. This response is triggered by a proinflammatory signal from various components, of which macrophages are an essential part. To understand how these proteins influence macrophage response, we investigated the effects of mollusks hemocyanins with varying structural and immunological properties, including hemocyanins from Concholepas concholepas, Fissurella latimarginata, and Megathura crenulata (keyhole limpet hemocyanin), on cultures of peritoneal macrophages. Hemocyanins were phagocytosed and slowly processed. Analysis of this process showed differential gene expression along with protein levels of proinflammatory markers, including IL-1β, IL-6, IL-12p40, and TNF-α. An extended expression analysis of 84 cytokines during a 24-h period showed a robust proinflammatory response for F. latimarginata hemocyanin in comparison with keyhole limpet hemocyanin and C. concholepas hemocyanin, which was characterized by an increase in the transcript levels of M1 cytokines involved in leukocyte recruitment. These cytokine genes included chemokines (Cxcl1, Cxcl3, Cxcl5, Ccl2, and Ccl3), ILs (Il1b and Ifng), growth factors (Csf2 and Csf3), and TNF family members (Cd40lg). The protein levels of certain cytokines were increased. However, every hemocyanin maintains downregulated key M2 cytokine genes, including Il4 and Il5 Collectively, our data demonstrate that hemocyanins are able to trigger the release of proinflammatory factors with different patterns of cytokine expression, suggesting differential signaling pathways and transcriptional network mechanisms that lead to the activation of M1-polarized macrophages.

Monocytes and macrophages are important effectors and regulators of inflammation, and both their differentiation and activation are regulated strictly in response to environmental cues. Angiopoietin-like protein 2 (Angptl2) is a multifaceted protein, displaying many physiological and pathological functions in inflammation, angiogenesis, hematopoiesis, and tumor development. Although recent studies implicate Angptl2 in chronic inflammation, the mechanisms of inflammation caused by Angptl2 remain unclear. The purpose of the present study was to elucidate the role of Angptl2 in inflammation by understanding the effects of Angptl2 on monocytes/macrophages. We showed that Angptl2 directly activates resident murine peritoneal monocytes and macrophages and induces a drastic upregulation of the transcription of several inflammatory genes including nitric oxide synthase 2 and prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2, and several proinflammatory cytokine genes such as interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, TNFα, and CSF2, along with activation of ERK, JNK, p38, and nuclear factor kappa B signaling pathways. Concordantly, proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, TNFα, and GM-CSF, were rapidly elevated from murine peritoneal monocytes and macrophages. These results demonstrate a novel role for Angptl2 in inflammation via the direct activation of peritoneal monocytes and macrophages.

BACKGROUND

Silencing of transgenes in mice is a common phenomenon typically associated with short multi-copy transgenes. We have investigated the regulation of the highly inducible human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating-factor gene (Csf2) in transgenic mice.

RESULTS

In the absence of any previous history of transcriptional activation, this transgene was expressed in T lineage cells at the correct inducible level in all lines of mice tested. In contrast, the transgene was silenced in a specific subset of lines in T cells that had encountered a previous episode of activation. Transgene silencing appeared to be both transcription-dependent and mediated by epigenetic mechanisms. Silencing was accompanied by loss of DNase I hypersensitive sites and inability to recruit RNA polymerase II upon stimulation. This pattern of silencing was reflected by increased methylation and decreased acetylation of histone H3 K9 in the transgene. We found that silenced lines were specifically associated with a single pair of tail-to-tail inverted repeated copies of the transgene embedded within a multi-copy array.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study suggests that epigenetic transgene silencing can result from convergent transcription of inverted repeats which can lead to silencing of an entire multi-copy transgene array. This mechanism may account for a significant proportion of the reported cases of transgene inactivation in mice.

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are a group of sensors on the surface of antigen-presenting cells, such as dendritic cells and macrophages, which recognize microbial pathogens and induce innate and adaptive immune responses. Periodontitis is an inflammatory disease characterized by the destruction of tooth-supporting structures. In order to address whether TLR4 signaling plays a role in periodontitis, we studied the gene expression change in human periodontal ligament cells (HPDLCs) in response to TLR4 ligand, lipopolysaccharide treatment by microarray analysis. Expression of TLR4 was detected in HPDLCs. Lipopolysaccharide treatment increased the expression of 12 genes (more than twofold), including TLR4, TLR5, TLR7, Pellino 1, colony stimulating factor 2 (CSF2) and IL-6. In addition, the expression of 15 genes (less than equal to twofold) was decreased, including Fos, LY64 and LY86. In addition, real-time PCR was used to confirm the change of gene expression of TLR4, IL-6 and Fos. We also showed that the upregulation of IL-6 by lipopolysaccharide treatment was TLR4-dependent. This pattern of gene expression indicates that pathogens may trigger TLR4 signaling and cause periodontitis. Manipulating TLR4 signaling may potentially become one of the recognized therapies for periodontitis.

Colony-stimulating factor 2 (CSF2) enhances competence of the bovine embryo to establish and maintain pregnancy after the embryo is transferred into a recipient. Mechanisms involved could include regulation of lineage commitment, growth, or differentiation of the inner cell mass (ICM) and trophectoderm (TE). Experiments were conducted to evaluate regulation by CSF2 of pluripotency of the ICM and differentiation and growth of the TE. Embryos were cultured with 10 ng/ml recombinant bovine CSF2 or a vehicle control from Days 5 to 7 or 6 to 8 postinsemination. CSF2 increased the number of putative zygotes that developed to blastocysts when the percent of embryos becoming blastocysts in the control group was low but decreased blastocyst yield when blastocyst development in controls was high. ICM isolated from blastocysts by lysing the trophectoderm using antibody and complement via immunosurgery were more likely to survive passage when cultured on mitomycin C-treated fetal fibroblasts if derived from blastocysts treated with CSF2 than if from control blastocysts. There was little effect of CSF2 on characteristics of TE outgrowths from blastocysts. The exception was a decrease in outgrowth size for embryos treated with CSF2 from Days 5 to 7 and an increase in expression of CDX2 when treatment was from Days 6 to 8. Expression of the receptor subunit gene CSF2RA increased from the zygote stage to the 9-16 cell stage before decreasing to the blastocyst stage. In contrast, CSF2RB was undetectable at all stages. In conclusion, CSF2 improves competence of the ICM to survive in a pluripotent state and alters TE outgrowths. Actions of CSF2 occur through a signaling pathway that is likely to be independent of CSF2RB.

We have earlier demonstrated that muesli enriched with oat beta-glucan effectively lowered serum LDL cholesterol. Addition of plant stanols further lowered LDL cholesterol. Besides these hypocholesterolemic effects, beta-glucan and plant stanol esters (PSE) may also affect inflammatory processes. Forty-two mildly hypercholesterolemic subjects randomly consumed for 4 wk (crossover design) control muesli (4.8 g control fiber), beta-glucan muesli (4.8 g oat beta-glucan), or combination muesli (4.8 g oat beta-glucan plus 1.4 g stanol as PSE). Changes in cytokine production (IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-alpha) of LPS-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and whole blood were evaluated, as well as changes in plasma high-sensitivity (hs)-CRP. Additionally, changes in expression profiles of 84 genes involved in atherosclerosis metabolism were assessed in isolated PBMC. IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-alpha production by PBMC and whole blood after LPS stimulation did not differ between the treatments. Also high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels were similar. beta-Glucan consumption did not change gene expression, while only 3 genes (ADFP, CDH5, CSF2) out of the 84 genes from the atherosclerotic risk panel were differentially expressed (p < 0.05) after consumption of PSE. Consumption of beta-glucan with or without PSE did not influence inflammatory parameters in mildly hypercholesterolemic subjects.

Macrophages play a central role in intestinal immunity, but inappropriate macrophage activation is associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Here, we identify granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) as a critical regulator of intestinal macrophage activation in patients with IBD and mice with dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis. We find that GM-CSF drives the maturation and polarization of inflammatory intestinal macrophages, promoting anti-microbial functions while suppressing wound-healing transcriptional programs. Group 3 innate lymphoid cells (ILC3s) are a major source of GM-CSF in intestinal inflammation, with a strong positive correlation observed between ILC or CSF2 transcripts and M1 macrophage signatures in IBD mucosal biopsies. Furthermore, GM-CSF-dependent macrophage polarization results in a positive feedback loop that augmented ILC3 activation and type 17 immunity. Together, our data reveal an important role for GM-CSF-mediated ILC-macrophage crosstalk in calibrating intestinal macrophage phenotype to enhance anti-bacterial responses, while inhibiting pro-repair functions associated with fibrosis and stricturing, with important clinical implications.

Keywords: GM-CSF; anti-microbial defense; crosstalk; inflammatory bowel disease; innate lymphoid cells; macrophages; wound healing.

Myeloid cells from non-obese diabetic (NOD) mouse and human type 1 diabetic (T1D) patients overexpress granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulation factor (GM-CSF). This overproduction prolongs the activation of signal transduction and activator of transcription 5 (STAT5) proteins, involved in GM-CSF-induced control of myeloid cell gene expression. We found that GM-CSF can regulate the binding of STAT5 on the promoter of its own gene, Csf2, within regions previously identified as sites of chromatin epigenetic modification important to the regulation of GM-CSF during myeloid differentiation and inflammation. We found multiple sequence polymorphisms within NOD mouse chromosome 11 Idd4.3 diabetes susceptibility region that alter STAT5 GAS binding sequences within the Csf2 promoter. STAT5 binding at these sites in vivo is increased significantly in GM-CSF-stimulated-bone marrow cells and in unactivated, high GM-CSF-producing macrophages from NOD mice as compared to non-autoimmune C57BL/6 mouse myeloid cells. Thus, GM-CSF overproduction by NOD myeloid cells may be perpetuating a positive epigenetic regulatory feedback on its own gene expression through its induction of STAT5 binding to its promoter. These findings suggest that aberrant STAT5 binding at epigenetic regulatory sites may contribute directly to immunopathology through cytokine-induced gene expression dysregulation that can derail myeloid differentiation and increase inflammatory responsiveness.

Indoor air pollution has been documented as an important risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and inflammation is central to the development and progression of COPD. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in some cytokine genes have been reported to be associated with COPD. We examined the association between 18 SNPs in 10 cytokine genes and COPD risk in a case-control study conducted in a population with high exposure to indoor smoky coal emissions. The study included 53 COPD cases and 122 healthy community controls. Carriers of the CSF2 117Ile allele had a 2.4-fold higher risk of COPD than the wild type (Thr/Thr) carriers (OR: 2.44; 95% CI: 1.10-5.41), and the AA genotype at IL8 -351 was associated with an increased risk of COPD (OR: 2.71; 95% CI: 1.04-7.04). When the combined effects of CSF2 117Ile and IL8 -351A were examined, individuals carrying at least one variant in both genes had a five-fold increased risk of COPD (OR: 5.14, 95% CI: 1.32-29.86). This study suggests that polymorphisms in both CSF2 and IL8 may play a role in the pathogenesis of COPD, at least in highly exposed populations. However, in view of our relatively small sample size, this study should be replicated in other populations with substantial exposure to indoor air pollutants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and particulate matter.

The corepressor Rcor1 has been linked biochemically to hematopoiesis, but its function in vivo remains unknown. We show that mice deleted for Rcor1 are profoundly anemic and die in late gestation. Definitive erythroid cells from mutant mice arrest at the transition from proerythroblast to basophilic erythroblast. Remarkably, Rcor1 null erythroid progenitors cultured in vitro form myeloid colonies instead of erythroid colonies. The mutant proerythroblasts also aberrantly express genes of the myeloid lineage as well as genes typical of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and/or progenitor cells. The colony-stimulating factor 2 receptor β subunit (Csf2rb), which codes for a receptor implicated in myeloid cytokine signaling, is a direct target for both Rcor1 and the transcription repressor Gfi1b in erythroid cells. In the absence of Rcor1, the Csf2rb gene is highly induced, and Rcor1(-/-) progenitors exhibit CSF2-dependent phospho-Stat5 hypersensitivity. Blocking this pathway can partially reduce myeloid colony formation by Rcor1-deficient erythroid progenitors. Thus, Rcor1 promotes erythropoiesis by repressing HSC and/or progenitor genes, as well as the genes and signaling pathways that lead to myeloid cell fate.

BACKGROUND

Upon Ag-activation cytotoxic T cells (CTLs) produce IFN-gamma GM-CSF and TNF-alpha, which deliver simultaneously pro-apoptotic and pro-inflammatory signals to the surrounding microenvironment. Whether this secretion affects in an autocrine loop the CTLs themselves is unknown.

METHODS

Here, we compared the transcriptional profile of Ag-activated, Flu-specific CTL stimulated with the FLU M1:58-66 peptide to that of convivial CTLs expanded in vitro in the same culture. PBMCs from 6 HLA-A*0201 expressing donors were expanded for 7 days in culture following Flu M1:58-66 stimulation in the presence of 300 IU/ml of interleukin-2 and than sorted by high speed sorting to high purity CD8+ expressing T cells gated according to FluM1:58-66 tetrameric human leukocyte antigen complexes expression.

RESULTS

Ag-activated CTLs displayed higher levels of IFN-gamma, GM-CSF (CSF2) and GM-CSF/IL-3/IL-5 receptor common beta- chain (CD131) but lacked completely expression of IFN-gamma receptor-II and IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs). This observation suggested that Ag-activated CTLs in preparation for the release of IFN-gamma and GM-CSF shield themselves from the potentially apoptotic effects of the former entrusting their survival to GM-SCF. In vitro phenotyping confirmed the selective surface expression of CD131 by Ag-activated CTLs and their increased proliferation upon exogenous administration of GM-CSF.

CONCLUSIONS

The selective responsiveness of Ag-activated CTLs to GM-CSF may provide an alternative explanation to the usefulness of this chemokine as an adjuvant for T cell aimed vaccines. Moreover, the selective expression of CD131 by Ag-activated CTLs proposes CD131 as a novel biomarker of Ag-dependent CTL activation.

Susceptibility to alphavirus encephalomyelitis is dependent on a variety of factors, including the genetic background of the host. Neuroadapted Sindbis virus (NSV) causes uniformly fatal disease in adult C57BL/6 (B6) mice, but adult BALB/c (Bc) mice recover from infection. In B6 mice, fatal encephalomyelitis is immune mediated rather than a direct result of virus infection. To identify the immunological determinants of host susceptibility to fatal NSV-induced encephalomyelitis, we compared virus titers and immune responses in adult B6 and Bc mice infected intranasally with NSV. B6 mice had higher levels of virus replication, higher levels of type I interferon (IFN), and slower virus clearance than did Bc mice. B6 mice had more neuronal apoptosis, more severe neurologic disease, and higher mortality than Bc mice. B6 mice had more infiltration of inflammatory cells and higher levels of IL1b, IL-6, TNFa, Csf2, and CCL2 mRNAs and interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), IFN-γ, and C-C motif ligand 2 (CCL2) protein in brains than Bc mice. However, Bc mice had more brain antibody at day 7 and a higher percentage of CD4(+) T cells. CD4(+) T cells in the brains of Bc mice included fewer Th17 cells and more regulatory T cells (Tregs) producing IL-10 than B6 mice, accompanied by higher levels of Il2 and Cxcl10 mRNAs. In the absence of IL-10, resistant Bc mice became susceptible to fatal encephalomyelitis after NSV infection. These studies demonstrate the importance of the immune response and its regulation in determining host survival during alphavirus encephalomyelitis.

OBJECTIVE

Mosquito-borne alphavirus infections are an important cause of encephalomyelitis in humans. The severity of disease is dependent both on the strain of the virus and on the age and genetic background of the host. A neurovirulent strain of Sindbis virus causes immune-mediated fatal encephalomyelitis in adult C57BL/6 mice but not in BALB/c mice. To determine the host-dependent immunological mechanisms underlying the differences in susceptibility between these two strains of mice, we compared their immune responses to infection. Resistance to fatal disease in BALB/c mice was associated with better antibody responses, more-rapid virus clearance, fewer Th17 cells, and more-potent regulatory T cell responses than occurred in susceptible C57BL/6 mice. In the absence of interleukin-10, a component of the regulatory immune response, resistant mice became susceptible to lethal disease. This study demonstrates the importance of the immune response and its regulation for host survival during alphavirus encephalomyelitis.

Abnormal nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) signaling has been attributed to the initiation and progression of cancer. Posttranslational modification of p65 facilitates optimal NF-kappaB signaling after activation. Here, we show that the phosphorylation of serine 536 was required for p65-mediated transcription and I kappa B alpha expression in fibroblasts. Furthermore, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) treatment slightly induced p65 phosphorylation, and both unphosphorylated and phosphorylated p65 translocated into the nucleus. The phosphorylation of serine 536 was not required for p65-mediated protection from TNF cytotoxicity and Traf1 induction in fibroblasts. Also, the corecruitment of p65 and RNA polymerase II to the Traf1 enhancer region did not require p65 phosphorylation. However, the corecruitment of p65 and RNA polymerase II to the Csf2 promoter required the phosphorylation of serine 536. These findings suggested that the requirement of serine phosphorylation at residue 536 and the distance between the NF-kappaB response element and the start of transcription may influence which genes will be transcribed.

Ileus is caused by the initiation of a complex cascade of molecular and cellular inflammatory responses within the intestinal muscularis, which might be species specific. Our objective was to investigate a possible immunological divergence in the mechanisms of postoperative- and endotoxin-induced ileus in C57BL/6 mice and Sprague-Dawley rats. Gastrointestinal transit (GIT) was measured at 24 h after the injurious stimulus. MPO-staining and F4/80 immunohistochemistry were used to quantify polymorphonuclear and monocyte infiltration of jejunal muscularis whole-mounts, and intestinal muscularis MCP-1, ICAM-1 and iNOS gene expression was assessed by RT-PCR. Intestinal muscularis subjected to in vivo surgical manipulation (SM) or LPS treatment was cultured for 24 h, and the liberation of nitric oxide and chemokines/cytokines into the culture medium was analyzed by Griess reaction and Luminex multiplex assay. Intestinal SM and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (15 mg/kg) caused a significant delay in gastrointestinal transit, which was more severe in mice compared to rats in both injury models. Both SM- and LPS-triggered neutrophil and monocytic extravasation into the rat jejunal muscularis exceeded the cellular infiltration seen in mice. These results correlated with significantly greater increases in rat muscularis MCP-1 (syn. CCL2), ICAM-1 and iNOS message with more subsequent NO production after SM or LPS compared to mouse. The cultured muscularis obtained from SM mice released significantly more inflammatory proteins such as TNF-α, IL-1-α, IL-4 and GM-CSF compared to the manipulated rat muscularis. In contrast, LPS initiated the secretion of significantly more IL-1β by the inflamed rat muscularis compared to the mouse, but GM-CSF (syn. CSF2) liberation from mouse muscularis was markedly higher compared to LPS-treated rat muscularis. The data indicate that mechanistically the development of ileus in rat is mediated predominately through a leukocytic pathway consisting of chemotaxis, cellular extravasation and NO liberation. Whereas, the more intense mouse ileus evolves via a potent but injury-specific local cytokine response.

OBJECTIVE

Sleep habits among military populations are problematic. Poor sleep hygiene occurs in parallel with the global increase in obesity and metabolic syndrome and contributes to a decrease in performance. The extent of sleep issues needs to be quantified to provide feedback for optimizing warfighter performance and readiness. This study assessed various health behaviors and habits of US Army Soldiers and their relationship with poor sleep quality by introducing a set of new questions into the Comprehensive Soldier and Family Fitness (CSF2) Global Assessment Tool (GAT).

METHODS

Subjects included 14,148 US Army Active, Reserve, and National Guard members (83.4% male) who completed the GAT, a self-report questionnaire that measures 4 fitness dimensions: social, family, emotional, and spiritual. Approximately 60 new questions, including ones on sleep quality, within the fifth CSF2 dimension (physical) were also answered. A sleep score was calculated from 2 questions validated in the Pittsburgh Insomnia Rating Scale (0 to 6).

RESULTS

Poor sleepers (5-6) were significantly (P<.001) more likely than good sleepers (0-1) to consider themselves in fair or poor health, be overweight or obese, and score in the lowest quartile of the emotional, social, family, and spiritual fitness dimensions. Additionally, poor sleepers were significantly (P<.001) less likely to have a healthy body mass index and waist circumference, eat breakfast 6 or more times a week, meet aerobic exercise and resistance training recommendations, and pass their Army Physical Fitness Test in the top quartile.

CONCLUSIONS

This study examined sleep quality in a group of military personnel and indicated significant associations between quality of sleep and physical performance, nutritional habits, measures of obesity, lifestyle behaviors and measures of psychosocial status. Targeted educational interventions and resources are needed to improve sleep patterns based on behaviors that can be most easily modified.

β-glucans (BG) are abundant polysaccharides of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell wall (Sc CW), an industry byproduct. They have immuno-stimulatory properties upon engagement of dectin-1 (Clec7a), their main receptor on particular immune cells, and they actually become of great interest because of their preventive or therapeutic potentials. Zymosan, a crude extract of Sc CW was studied as a prototypic BG, despite its miscellaneous PAMPs content. Here, we examined the response of murine wild type or Clec7a-/- bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM) to products with increasing BG content (15, 65 or 75%) and compared their effects with those of other dectin-1 ligands. The enrichment process removed TLR ligands while preserving dectin-1 activity. The most enriched extracts have very low NFκB activity and triggered low amounts of cytokine production in contrast with crude products like zymosan and BG15. Furthermore, MyD88-/- BMDM did not produce TNFα in response to crude Sc CW extracts, whereas their response to BG-enriched extracts was unaffected, suggesting that BG alone are not able to initiate cytokine secretion. Although Sc CW-derived BG stimulated the late and strong expression of Csf2 in a dectin-1-dependent manner, they remain poor inducers of chemokine and cytokine production in murine macrophages.

Wound healing evaluation is important in forensic pathology, in which angiogenesis plays an important role. We have already shown that vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF) is produced in the rat skin incision wounds by neutrophils, endothelial cells, and fibroblasts. In this study, we assessed the changes in the mRNA expressions of various factors possibly involved in angiogenesis including angiopoietin (ANGPT) 1 and 2, cadherin 5 (CDH5), granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (CSF2/GM-CSF), granulocyte colony stimulating factor (CSF3/G-CSF), chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 2 (CXCL2), chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand12 (CXCL12/SDF1), endothelin 1 (ET1), fibroblast growth factor 1 (FGF 1), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), hypoxia inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF1a), leptin, matrix metallopepitidase 9 (MMP9), serpine/plasminogen activator inhibitor1 (PAI1), platelet-derived growth factor-A (PDGF-A), transforming growth factor alpha and beta 1 (TGFa and b1), tenomodulin (TNMD), and troponin I type 2 (TNNI2) in the early stage of the rat skin incision wounds by real time RT-PCR. Factors reported to be involved in lymphangiogenesis such as fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF 2), c-fos induced growth factor (FIGF/VEGF-D), forkhead box C2 (FOXC2), and prospero homeobox 1 (PROX1) were also studied. One and 3 days after the dorsal skin incisions, wounds on male Sprague-Dawley rats showed the statistically significant increases in the mRNA expressions for CXCL2, CSF3, MMP9, PAI1, and CSF2, whereas TGFa, TNNI2, FGF1, TNMD, leptin, and CXCL12 showed the statistically significant decreases. Interestingly, lymphgangiogenic factors FOXC2, PROX1, and FGF2 also showed the statistically significant decreases. In situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry showed the mRNA and protein positivity in endothelial cells, fibroblasts, and some leukocytes at the bottom of the wound tissue for PAI1, CSF3, and MMP9, 1 day after the skin incisions. Our novel findings show the possible involvement of several factors involved in angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis in the early stage of wound healing process, which may be useful for forensic wound evaluations.

In Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome (WAS), immunodeficiency and autoimmunity often comanifest, yet how WAS mutations misregulate chromatin-signaling in Thelper (TH) cells favoring development of auto-inflammation over protective immunity is unclear. Previously, we identified an essential promoter-specific, coactivator role of nuclear-WASp in TH1 gene transcription. Here we identify small ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMO)ylation as a novel posttranslational modification of WASp, impairment of which converts nuclear-WASp from a transcriptional coactivator to a corepressor of nuclear factor (NF)-κB response genes in human (TH)1-differentiating cells. V75M, one of many disease-causing mutations occurring in SUMO*motif (72-ψψψψKDxxxxSY-83) of WASp, compromises WASp-SUMOylation, associates with COMMD1 to attenuate NF-κB signaling, and recruits histone deacetylases-6 (HDAC6) to p300-marked promoters of NF-κB response genes that pattern immunity but not inflammation. Consequently, proteins mediating adaptive immunity (IFNG, STAT1, TLR1) are deficient, whereas those mediating auto-inflammation (GM-CSF, TNFAIP2, IL-1β) are paradoxically increased in TH1 cells expressing SUMOylation-deficient WASp. Moreover, SUMOylation-deficient WASp favors ectopic development of the TH17-like phenotype (↑IL17A, IL21, IL22, IL23R, RORC, and CSF2) under TH1-skewing conditions, suggesting a role for WASp in modulating TH1/TH17 plasticity. Notably, pan-histone deacetylase inhibitors lift promoter-specific repression imposed by SUMOylation-deficient WASp and restore misregulated gene expression. Our findings uncovering a SUMOylation-based mechanism controlling WASp's dichotomous roles in transcription may have implications for personalized therapy for patients carrying mutations that perturb WASp-SUMOylation.

The dendritic cell (DC) compartment comprises subsets of cells with distinct phenotypes. Previously this lab reported methodology for hematopoiesis of dendritic-like cells in vitro dependent on a murine splenic stromal cell line (5G3). Co-cultures of lineage-depleted bone marrow (Lin(-) BM) over 5G3 continuously produced a distinct population of dendritic-like "L-DC" for up to 35 days. Here the progenitor of L-DC is investigated in relation to known BM-derived hematopoietic progenitors. It is shown here that L-DC-like cells also derive from the CD150(+)Flt3(-) long-term reconstituting-hematopoietic stem cells (HSC), and also from the Flt3(+) multipotential progenitor subset in BM. Lin(-) BM co-cultures also produce a transient population of cells resembling conventional (c) DC. Production of cDC-like cells is shown here to be transient and M-CSF dependent, and also appears following co-culture of described common dendritic progenitors or monocyte dendritic progenitors over 5G3. BM cells from C57BL/6-flt3L(tm1lmx) and C57BL/6-Csf2(tm1Ard) mice which lack cDC precursors and monocytes, are shown here to contain L-DC progenitors which can seed 5G3 co-cultures. L-DC are functionally distinct cells, in that they arise independently of M-CSF, and by direct differentiation from HSC.

The mammary gland is a unique organ that undergoes hormone-driven developmental changes over the course of the ovarian cycle during adult life. Macrophages play a role in regulating cellular turnover in the mammary gland and may affect cancer susceptibility. However, the immune microenvironment that regulates macrophage function has not been described. Hormonal regulation of the cytokine microenvironment across the ovarian cycle was explored using microbead multiplex assay for 15 cytokines in mammary glands from C57Bl/6 mice at different stages of the oestrous cycle, and in ovariectomised mice administered oestradiol and progesterone. The cytokines that were found to fluctuate over the course of the oestrous cycle were colony-stimulating factor (CSF)1, CSF2, interferon gamma (IFNG) and tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFA), all of which were significantly elevated at oestrus compared with other phases. The concentration of serum progesterone during the oestrus phase negatively correlated with the abundance of cytokines CSF3, IL12p40, IFNG and leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF). In ovariectomised mice, exogenous oestradiol administration increased mammary gland CSF1, CSF2, IFNG and LIF, compared with ovariectomised control mice. Progesterone administration together with oestradiol resulted in reduced CSF1, CSF3 and IFNG compared with oestradiol administration alone. This study suggests that the cytokine microenvironment in the mammary gland at the oestrus phase of the ovarian cycle is relatively pro-inflammatory compared with other stages of the cycle, and that the oestradiol-induced cytokine microenvironment is significantly attenuated by progesterone. A continuously fluctuating cytokine microenvironment in the mammary gland presumably regulates the phenotypes of resident leukocytes and may affect mammary gland cancer susceptibility.