Combined stimulation with the T helper cell type 2 cytokines interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-10 induces mouse mast cell apoptosis.

Mast cells are found in connective and mucosal tissues throughout the body. Their activation via immunoglobulin E (IgE)-antigen interactions is promoted by T helper cell type 2 (Th2) cytokines and leads to the sequelae of allergic disease. We now report a mechanism by which Th2 cytokines can regulate mast cell survival. Specifically, we find that interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-10 induce apoptosis in IL-3-dependent bone marrow-derived mast cells and peritoneal mast cells. This process required 6 d of costimulation with IL-3, IL-4, and IL-10, and expression of signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 (Stat6). Apoptosis was coupled with decreased expression of bcl-x(L) and bcl-2. While this process occurred independent of the Fas pathway, culture in IL-3+IL-4+IL-10 greatly sensitized mast cells to Fas-mediated death. Additionally, we found that IgE cross-linkage or stimulation with stem cell factor enhanced the apoptotic abilities of IL-4 and IL-10. Finally, IL-3-independent mastocytomas and mast cell lines were resistant to apoptosis induced by IL-3+IL-4+IL-10. These data offer evidence of Th2 cytokine-mediated homeostasis whereby these cytokines both elicit and limit allergic responses. Dysregulation of this pathway may play a role in allergic disease and mast cell tumor survival.

Erythropoietin messenger RNA levels in developing mice and transfer of 125I-erythropoietin by the placenta.

Erythropoietin (EP) mRNA was measured in normal and anemic mice during fetal and postnatal development. Normal fetal livers at 14 d of gestation contained a low level of EP mRNA. By day 19 of gestation, no EP mRNA was detected in normal or anemic fetal livers or normal fetal kidneys, but anemic fetal kidneys had low levels of EP mRNA. Newborn through adult stage mice responded to anemia by accumulating renal and hepatic EP mRNA. However, total liver EP mRNA was considerably less than that of the kidneys. Juvenile animals, 1-4 wk old, were hyperresponsive to anemia in that they produced more EP mRNA than adults. Moreover, nonanemic juveniles had readily measured renal EP mRNA, whereas the adult level was at the lower limit of detection. Because of the very low level of fetal EP mRNA, placental transfer of EP was evaluated. When administered to the pregnant mouse, 125I-EP was transferred in significant amounts to the fetuses. These results indicate that in mice the kidney is the main organ of EP production at all stages of postnatal development and that adult kidney may also play some role in providing EP for fetal erythropoiesis via placental transfer of maternal hormone.

Erythropoietin receptors in polycythemia vera.

The role of erythropoietin (EP) in polycythemia vera (PV) is controversial, with some experiments suggesting that erythroid progenitors in PV are exquisitely sensitive to EP and EP dependent, and others suggesting that PV progenitors are EP independent. We have examined the characteristics of the EP receptor (EP-R) on erythroid colony-forming cells (ECFC) from patients with PV. In contrast to normal ECFC, which have two classes of EP-R, with 20% showing high affinity (Kd = 0.13 nM; range, 0.04-0.20 nM) and the remainder lower affinity (Kd = 0.37 nM; range, 0.28-0.57 nM), PV ECFC show a single class of 851 low affinity EP-R with Kd = 0.72 nM (range, 0.36-0.85 nM). ECFC from patients with secondary (EP driven) polycythemia or anemia show two classes of EP-R (Kd = 0.18 and 1.10 nM, respectively). Attempts to remove tightly bound EP from putative high affinity EP-R in PV did not reveal any higher affinity receptors. Determination of molecular size by crosslinking showed two proteins of 90 and 100 kD similar to those seen with normal EP-R. These studies indicate the PV ECFC have EP-R that are structurally similar to normal EP-R but lack the higher binding affinity for EP.

Human colony-forming units-erythroid do not require accessory cells, but do require direct interaction with insulin-like growth factor I and/or insulin for erythroid development.

The presence of heterogeneous erythroid progenitor cells, contaminant cells, or serum may alter erythroid colony development in vitro. To obtain highly purified colony-forming units-erythroid (CFU-E), we cultured partially purified human blood burst-forming units-erythroid (BFU-E) in methylcellulose with recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) for 7 d and generated cells that consisted of 30-60% CFU-E, but no BFU-E. A serum-free medium was used that allowed development of the same number of erythroid colonies as serum containing medium, but with a greater percentage of larger colonies. This medium consisted of delipidated crystalline bovine serum albumin, iron saturated transferrin, lipid suspension, fibrinogen, thrombin, Iscove's modified Dulbecco's medium/F-12[HAM], and insulin plus rHuEPO. When CFU-E were cultured in a limiting dilution assay and the percentage of nonresponder wells was plotted against cell concentration, both serum-free cultures and serum-containing cultures yielded overlapping straight lines through the origin indicating that CFU-E development did not depend on accessory cells and that insulin acted directly on the CFU-E. Human recombinant interleukin 3 (IL-3) and/or granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor had no effect on CFU-E growth, while they markedly enhanced BFU-E growth. Physiological concentrations of recombinant human insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) enhanced CFU-E growth in the absence of insulin and, together with rHuEPO in serum-free medium, provided a plating efficiency equal to that of serum-containing medium. Limiting dilution analysis in serum-free medium with IGF-I showed a straight line through the origin indicating that IGF-I also acted directly on the CFU-E and not through an effect on accessory cells. These data demonstrate that CFU-E do not require accessory cells, but do require IGF-I and/or insulin which act directly on the CFU-E.

AP1 regulation of proliferation and initiation of apoptosis in erythropoietin-dependent erythroid cells.

The transcription factor AP1 has been implicated in the induction of apoptosis in cells in response to stress factors and growth factor withdrawal. We report here that AP1 is necessary for the induction of apoptosis following hormone withdrawal in the erythropoietin (EPO)-dependent erythroid cell line HCD57. AP1 DNA binding activity increased upon withdrawal of HCD57 cells from EPO. A dominant negative AP1 mutant rendered these cells resistant to apoptosis induced by EPO withdrawal and blocked the downregulation of Bcl-XL. JunB is a major binding protein in the AP1 complex observed upon EPO withdrawal; JunB but not c-Jun was present in the AP1 complex 3 h after EPO withdrawal in HCD57 cells, with a concurrent increase in junB message and protein. Furthermore, analysis of AP1 DNA binding activity in an apoptosis-resistant subclone of HCD57 revealed a lack of induction in AP1 DNA binding activity and no change in junB mRNA levels upon EPO withdrawal. In addition, we determined that c-Jun and AP1 activities correlated with EPO-induced proliferation and/or protection from apoptosis. AP1 DNA binding activity increased over the first 3 h following EPO stimulation of HCD57 cells, and suppression of AP1 activity partially inhibited EPO-induced proliferation. c-Jun but not JunB was present in the AP1 complex 3 h after EPO addition. These results implicate AP1 in the regulation of proliferation and survival of erythroid cells and suggest that different AP1 factors may play distinct roles in both triggering apoptosis (JunB) and protecting erythroid cells from apoptosis (c-Jun).

Erythropoietin cell biology.

Erythropoietin (EPO) mediates its biologic actions in responsive cells through the 78 kDa cell surface form of the EPO receptor. The biosynthesis, activations, and destruction of EPO receptors are described. The binding of EPO to its receptor leads to the activation of a tyrosine protein kinase(s) that results in the phosphorylation of the receptor and other proteins.

The two proteins of the erythropoietin receptor are structurally similar.

The structure of the erythropoietin receptor has been identified in this laboratory as two proteins of 100 and 85 kDa by cross-linking 125I-erythropoietin (125I-EP) to the surface of erythroid cells purified from the spleens of mice infected with the anemia strain of Friend virus. This study investigates the relatedness of these two proteins and the possibility that these proteins are subunits of the functional receptor for EP. Other workers have claimed that the 100- and 85-kDa proteins are bridged by disulfide bonds. This most likely is an artifact due to the insolubility of the cross-linked membrane. Proteolytic digestion by the method of Cleveland (Cleveland, D. W., Fischer, S. G., Kirschner, M. W., and Laemmli, U. K. (1977) J. Biol. Chem. 252, 1102-1106) resulted in identical fragments from the 100- and 85-kDa proteins, which strongly suggests that the primary amino acid sequence of these two proteins is similar if not identical. Increasing the number of protease inhibitors during the preparation of membranes and the binding and cross-linking steps increased the ratio of 100-kDa protein labeled compared to the 85-kDa protein. Together these results suggest that the 85-kDa protein is derived by proteolytic cleavage of the 100-kDa receptor for EP. It is not clear whether the 100-kDa protein can bind EP in the absence of the 85-kDa protein.

Erythropoietin induces the tyrosine phosphorylation, nuclear translocation, and DNA binding of STAT1 and STAT5 in erythroid cells.

We have investigated whether Signal Transducing and Activators of Transcription (STAT) proteins become activated following the binding of erythropoietin (EPO) to immature erythroid cells from the spleens of mice infected with the anemia strain of Friend virus. STAT1 and STAT5 proteins are phosphorylated and translocated to the nucleus in EPO-treated cells. STAT1 and STAT5 DNA binding activities were also activated in an EPO-dependent manner. The presence of these STAT proteins in the DNA binding complex was confirmed by Western blot analysis of the proteins bound to the DNA element in the gel mobility shift assays. This EPO-dependent activation of STAT proteins was maximum within 10 min of exposure of the cells to 10 units of EPO/ml, the concentration of EPO required for maximum STAT activation. The magnitude of the EPO-dependent STAT5 activation appeared to be greater than the EPO-dependent activation of STAT1. The significance of STAT protein activation in EPO signal transduction is discussed.

Transferrin receptor number, synthesis, and endocytosis during erythropoietin-induced maturation of Friend virus-infected erythroid cells.

Erythropoietin (EP) responsive Friend virus-infected erythroid cells had 200,000 steady-state binding sites for transferrin at 37 degrees C when isolated from the spleens of Friend virus-infected mice. Upon culture of these cells with EP, the synthesis of transferrin receptors increased 4- to 7-fold and the number of transferrin-binding sites per cell doubled after 24 h. However, the rate of uptake of 59Fe from transferrin remained constant at approximately 35,000 atoms of 59Fe per minute per cell during this period in culture. The amount of 125I-transferrin internalized during the steady-state binding did not change during this culture period while the transferrin bound to the surface increased 3-fold. At all stages of erythroid maturation, the maximum rate of endocytosis was determined to be 18,000 molecules of transferrin per minute per cell, and the interval that 125I-transferrin remains in the interior of the cell was calculated to be 6.9 min. After 48 h of culture with EP, the number of steady-state transferrin-binding sites was reduced in part due to the sequestration of surface receptors within the cell. The uptake of iron from transferrin was limited by the level of endocytosis of transferrin during the initial phase of culture and the number of transferrin receptors at the cell surface during the latter stages of erythroid maturation of these cells.

The functional form of the erythropoietin receptor is a 78-kDa protein: correlation with cell surface expression, endocytosis, and phosphorylation.

An abundant 70- to 78-kDa form of the erythropoietin receptor (EPOR) was observed in HC-D57 murine erythroleukemia cells deprived of erythropoietin (EPO). In contrast to the 64- and 66-kDa EPOR proteins, these high molecular mass forms of EPOR (hmm-EPOR) correlated well with the number of binding sites and endocytosis of EPO. The hypothesis that hmm-EPOR are more highly glycosylated forms of the EPOR, appear on the cell surface, and represent at least one component of the biologically active EPOR was tested. Consistent findings were as follows. (i) Only hmm-EPOR increased following withdrawal of EPO from HC-D57 cells, correlating with a 10-fold increase in binding of 125I-labeled EPO. In addition, the EPO-dependent downregulation of 125I-EPO binding and disappearance of hmm-EPOR occurred in parallel while the amount of 66-kDa EPOR did not change. (ii) The 78-kDa EPOR was detected in COS cells expressing EPOR cDNA. (iii) Probing of the intact surface of these cells with anti-NH2-terminal antibody recovered only the 78-kDa EPOR. (iv) Enzymatic deglycosylation and dephosphorylation showed that hmm-EPOR apparently resulted from additional N-linked glycosylation of a 62-kDa EPOR. (v) The hmm-EPOR turnover in HC-D57 cells was accelerated 12-fold in the presence of EPO (half-life changed from 3 hr to 15 min). (vi) Anti-phosphotyrosine antiserum detected an EPO-dependent phosphorylation of the 78-kDa EPOR. The kinetics of tyrosine phosphorylation of a 97-kDa protein correlated with the occupancy and internalization of hmm-EPOR. In summary, we suggest that the 78-kDa EPOR is directly involved in the initial biological actions of EPO.

Association of JAK2 and STAT5 with erythropoietin receptors. Role of receptor phosphorylation in erythropoietin signal transduction.

Cytokine receptors act at least partially by associating with Janus tyrosine protein kinases at the conserved box one motif of the receptor. These receptor-associated kinases then activate STAT transcription factors through phosphorylation. We found that the 78-kDa erythropoietin receptor (EPOR), a highly modified form of the 66-kDa receptor which is abundant in HCD57 cells, was phosphorylated on serine residues without EPO stimulation. Coprecipitation experiments showed the 78-kDa EPOR but not the more abundant 66-kDa EPOR was associated with JAK2, a Janus protein kinase, in both the presence and absence of EPO. Solubilized 78-kDa EPOR bound to purified, genetically engineered JAK2 better than the 62-76-kDa receptor proteins, and additional phosphorylation of tyrosine residues further increased the binding of the 78-kDa EPOR to JAK2-agarose beads. STAT5 DNA binding was activated by 10-100-fold lower concentrations of EPO in HCD57 cells than in primary erythroid cells, and STAT5 associated with the EPOR in an EPO-dependent manner. These data suggest that phosphorylation of either serine or tyrosine residues of the EPOR can enhance the association of the receptor with JAK2, possibly increasing the sensitivity to EPO.

Erythropoietin stimulates 45Ca2+ uptake in Friend virus-infected erythroid cells.

It has been shown previously in this laboratory that in vitro infection of mouse bone marrow cells with the anemia strain of Friend leukemia virus leads to growth of large bursts of erythroid cells which are arrested in development prior to hemoglobin synthesis but can respond to erythropoietin (EP) to complete the late stage of erythroblast differentiation. In this study, the effect of EP on the metabolism of 45Ca2+ in these cells was examined. At 4 degrees C, an increased rate of 45Ca2+ uptake and efflux as well as an increase in the steady state level of 45Ca2+ in treated cells was observed. Exchange of 45Ca2+ from preloaded cells at 4 degrees C indicated that treatment with EP increased the size of a rapidly exchanging pool of 45Ca2+ from 5 to 12% of total 45Ca2+ in the cell. The effect of treatment with EP can be seen as increased exchange of extracellular 45Ca2+ with cellular Ca2+; however, an effect of EP on the net level of Ca2+ in these cells cannot be excluded. This investigation demonstrates one of the earliest effects of EP on erythroid cells and suggests that alterations in Ca2+ metabolism may contribute to the progression of erythroid cells to their final development.

Enhancement of calcium uptake and phosphatidylinositol turnover by epidermal growth factor in A-431 cells.

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) stimulates the incorporation of 32Pi and [3H]inositol into phosphatidylinositol (5-10-fold) in A-431 cells. EGF also stimulates the incorporation of 32Pi into phosphatidic acid (up to 10-fold). These effects are attributed to an acceleration of the turnover of phosphatidylinositol as a consequence of the binding of EGF to its membrane receptor. The extent of the phosphatidylinositol response to EGF parallels the extent of hormone binding. The phosphatidylinositol response to EGF appears to be dependent on an influx of calcium since (a) external calcium is required for the enhancement of phosphatidylinositol turnover, (2) the accumulation of 45Ca by A-431 cells is stimulated by EGF, (3) blockage of calcium influx with LaCl3 inhibits stimulation of phosphatidylinositol turnover, and (4) calcium influx via ionophore A23187 is sufficient to stimulate phosphatidylinositol turnover. Since the binding, internalization, and degradation of 125I-labeled EGF in A-431 cells are unaffected by the omission of calcium from the medium, external calcium and phosphatidylinositol turnover are not necessary for the internalization and degradation of the EGF-receptor complex.

Epidermal growth factor stimulates the phosphorylation of the calcium-dependent 35,000-dalton substrate in intact A-431 cells.

We have previously reported the isolation of a 35-kDa protein from A-431 cells that, in the presence of Ca2+, is an excellent in vitro substrate for the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor/kinase present in membrane preparations (Fava, R. A., and Cohen, S. (1984) J. Biol. Chem. 259, 2636-2645). In this communication we demonstrate that the phosphorylation of the 35-kDa protein is markedly enhanced in intact, 32P-labeled, A-431 cells following exposure of the cells to EGF. The 35-kDa protein immunoprecipitated from cells treated with EGF is phosphorylated to a 20-120-fold greater extent than comparable preparations from control cells. Both phosphotyrosine and phosphoserine residues are detected in the protein after treatment of the cells with EGF. EGF-dependent phosphorylation of the 35-kDa protein is barely detected unless the intact cells are exposed to EGF for periods greater than 5 min. We suggest that endosomes containing internalized EGF X receptor/kinase complexes are primarily responsible for the observed phosphorylation of the 35-kDa protein in intact cells.

Receptors for erythropoietin in mouse and human erythroid cells and placenta.

High and lower affinity receptors for erythropoietin (EP) were initially identified on a very pure population of EP-responsive erythroblasts obtained from the spleens of mice infected with anemia strain of Friend virus (FVA). The structure of the receptor for EP in these cells was determined to be proteins of 100 and 85 Kd by cross-linking 125I-EP. In this investigation, studies on the receptors for EP were extended to other mouse erythroid cells and human erythroid cells as well as to the placentas of mice and rats. Only lower affinity receptors for EP were detected on erythroblasts purified from the spleens of mice infected with the polycythemia strain of Friend virus and a murine erythroleukemia cell line, both of which are not responsive to EP in culture. Internalization of 125I-EP was observed in both groups of cells. The structure of the receptor determined by cross-linking 125I-EP was two equally labeled proteins of 100 Kd and 85 Kd molecular mass in all these mouse erythroid cells. The structure of the receptor was found to be very similar in human erythroid colony forming cells cultured from normal blood. These cells respond to EP with erythroid maturation and were previously shown to have high and lower affinity receptors. Placentas from mice and rats were found to have only lower affinity receptors for EP, and when placental membranes were cross-linked to 125I-EP, the same 100 Kd and 85 Kd bands were found as seen in mouse and human erythroid cells. The structure of the receptor was similar in cells that have high affinity receptors (FVA-infected and human erythroid colony-forming cells) and nonresponsive erythroid cells and placenta that have lower affinity receptors, but only the cells with the high affinity receptors respond to the addition of EP with erythroid maturation.

Purification of erythroid progenitor cells and characterization of erythropoietin receptors.

Highly purified murine and human erythroid progenitor cells at the colony-forming unit-erythroid (CFU-E) stage of development were prepared and recombinant human erythropoietin (rEp) was radioiodinated with retention of full biological activity. Specific binding of 125I-rEp to the murine cells revealed 950 receptors on the cell surface. Three hundred had a Kd of 0.09 nM while the remaining receptors had a Kd of 0.57 nM. The human erythroid progenitor cells also had two classes of receptors with a similar number per cell and similar distribution. The high affinity receptors had a Kd of 0.15 nM while the remaining receptors had a Kd of 0.37 nM. 125I-rEp was rapidly internalized into the cells at 37 C and metabolized to iodotyrosine. When cross-linking of 125I-rEp to the murine erythroid progenitor cells was performed with disuccinimidyl suberate, two labelled bands of 100 and 85 kDa were demonstrated. The radioactivity of both bands was reduced when binding was performed in the presence of excessive unlabelled rEp indicating a specific interaction of 125I-rEp with the receptor.