Normal human aging and early-stage schizophrenia share common molecular profiles.

We examined genome-wide expression datasets from human prefrontal cortex of normal and schizophrenic individuals ranging from 19 to 81 years of age. We found that changes in gene expression that are correlated with aging in normal subjects differ dramatically from those observed with aging in schizophrenic subjects. Only 2.5% of genes were correlated with age in both groups. Surprisingly, we also found a significant overlap (29-34%) between those genes whose expression was correlated with aging in normal subjects and those significantly altered in subjects with early-stage schizophrenia (within 4 years of diagnosis). This suggests that schizophrenia onset anticipates the normal aging process, and further, that some symptoms of aging, i.e. dementia and psychosis, might be explained by these common molecular profiles.

Increased expression of monocyte CD44v6 correlates with the deveopment of encephalitis in rhesus macaques infected with simian immunodeficiency virus.

In people infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), the accumulation of macrophages in the brain correlates with encephalitis and dementia. We hypothesized that a pattern of surface marker expression in blood monocytes may serve as a marker for central nervous system (CNS) disease. Using the simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)-rhesus monkey model, we analyzed functionally relevant surface markers on monocytes and macrophages from the blood and brain in animals that did or did not develop SIV encephalitis. At necropsy, multiple markers (CD44v6, CCR2, and CCR5 on blood monocytes and brain microglia and/or macrophages, and CX3CR1 on blood monocytes) allowed us to distinguish animals with encephalitis from those without. Furthermore, the level of expression of CD44v6 on the 2 main populations of blood monocytes--those that express either low or high levels of CD16--was significantly increased in animals with encephalitis. A longitudinal analysis of blood monocyte markers revealed that as early as 28 days after inoculation, CD44v6 staining could distinguish the 2 groups. This provides a potential peripheral biomarker to identify individuals who may develop the HIV-induced CNS disease. Furthermore, given its role in cellular adhesion and as an osteopontin receptor, CD44v6 upregulation on monocytes offers functional clues to the pathogenesis of such complications, and provides a target for preventative and therapeutic measures.

Fc receptor but not complement binding is important in antibody protection against HIV.

Most successful vaccines elicit neutralizing antibodies and this property is a high priority when developing an HIV vaccine. Indeed, passively administered neutralizing antibodies have been shown to protect against HIV challenge in some of the best available animal models. For example, antibodies given intravenously can protect macaques against intravenous or mucosal SHIV (an HIV/SIV chimaera) challenge and topically applied antibodies can protect macaques against vaginal SHIV challenge. However, the mechanism(s) by which neutralizing antibodies afford protection against HIV is not understood and, in particular, the role of antibody Fc-mediated effector functions is unclear. Here we report that there is a dramatic decrease in the ability of a broadly neutralizing antibody to protect macaques against SHIV challenge when Fc receptor and complement-binding activities are engineered out of the antibody. No loss of antibody protective activity is associated with the elimination of complement binding alone. Our in vivo results are consistent with in vitro assays indicating that interaction of Fc-receptor-bearing effector cells with antibody-complexed infected cells is important in reducing virus yield from infected cells. Overall, the data suggest the potential importance of activity against both infected cells and free virus for effective protection against HIV.

Effects of simian immunodeficiency virus on the circadian rhythms of body temperature and gross locomotor activity.

In monkeys infected with simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), changes in body temperature and locomotor activity occur after the acute retroviral syndrome stage of the disease. However, alterations to the circadian rhythm of these factors in SIV-infected monkeys have not been reported. To determine whether the circadian rhythm of body temperature and locomotor activity are disrupted during SIV infection, we analyzed the temperature and activity patterns of SIV-infected monkeys through different stages of the disease, progressing to SIV encephalitis by using the cosinor model for circadian oscillation. We found that SIV infection resulted in significant impairments of the amplitude and mean of the circadian rhythm of body temperature and activity and in the acrophase of the circadian rhythm for temperature. These alterations were not related to changes observed in the acute febrile response induced after viral inoculation. In animals killed once marked circadian anomalies were evident, microglia infiltration and macrophage accumulation in the hypothalamus were observed. Together, these results clearly demonstrate that SIV infection compromises aspects of circadian regulation in monkeys, with important implications for physiological functions, including cognition, in HIV-infected individuals.

IFN-gamma-induced IDO and WRS expression in microglia is differentially regulated by IL-4.

Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO), a tryptophan catabolizing enzyme, has been implicated in the pathogenesis of various neurological disorders. IDO expression is induced by IFN-gamma and leads to neurotoxicity by generating quinolinic acid. Additionally, it inhibits the immune response through both tryptophan depletion and generating other tryptophan catabolites. IL-4 and IL-13 have been shown to control IDO expression by antagonizing the effects of IFN-gamma in different cell types. Here, we investigated the effects of these cytokines on IDO expression in microglia. Interestingly, we observed that both IL-4 and IL-13 greatly enhanced IFN-gamma-induced IDO expression. However, tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase (WRS), which is coinduced with IDO by IFN-gamma, is downregulated by IL-4 and IL-13. The effect of IL-4 and IL-13 was independent of STAT-6. Modulation of IDO but not WRS was eliminated by inhibition of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) activity. The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway further differentiated the regulation of these two enzymes, as inhibiting the PI3K pathway eliminated IFN-gamma induction of IDO, whereas such inhibition greatly enhanced WRS expression. These findings show discordance between modulations of expression of two distinct enzymes utilizing tryptophan as a common substrate, and raise the possibility of their involvement in regulating immune responses in various neurological disorders.

Activation of murine CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes leads to dramatic remodeling of N-linked glycans.

Differentiation and activation of lymphocytes are documented to result in changes in glycosylation associated with biologically important consequences. In this report, we have systematically examined global changes in N-linked glycosylation following activation of murine CD4 T cells, CD8 T cells, and B cells by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry profiling, and investigated the molecular basis for those changes by assessing alterations in the expression of glycan transferase genes. Surprisingly, the major change observed in activated CD4 and CD8 T cells was a dramatic reduction of sialylated biantennary N-glycans carrying the terminal NeuGcalpha2-6Gal sequence, and a corresponding increase in glycans carrying the Galalpha1-3Gal sequence. This change was accounted for by a decrease in the expression of the sialyltransferase ST6Gal I, and an increase in the expression of the galactosyltransferase, alpha1-3GalT. Conversely, in B cells no change in terminal sialylation of N-linked glycans was evident, and the expression of the same two glycosyltransferases was increased and decreased, respectively. The results have implications for differential recognition of activated and unactivated T cells by dendritic cells and B cells expressing glycan-binding proteins that recognize terminal sequences of N-linked glycans.

Host response and dysfunction in the CNS during chronic simian immunodeficiency virus infection.

CNS abnormalities can be detected during chronic human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, before the development of opportunistic infections or other sequelae of immunodeficiency. However, although end-stage dementia caused by HIV has been linked to the presence of infected and activated macrophages and microglia in the brain, the nature of the changes resulting in the motor and cognitive disorders in the chronic stage is unknown. Using simian immunodeficiency virus-infected rhesus monkeys, we sought the molecular basis for CNS dysfunction. In the chronic stable stage, nearly 2 years after infection, all animals had verified CNS functional abnormalities. Both virus and infiltrating lymphocytes (CD8+ T-cells) were found in the brain. Molecular analysis revealed that the expression of several immune response genes was increased, including CCL5, which has pleiotropic effects on neurons as well as immune cells. CCL5 was significantly upregulated throughout the course of infection, and in the chronic phase was present in the infiltrating lymphocytes. We have identified an altered state of the CNS at an important stage of the viral-host interaction, likely arising to protect against the virus but in the long term leading to damaging processes.

Susceptibility of Chinese rhesus monkeys to SIV infection.

The use of China-derived monkeys in AIDS research has been limited by reports of reduced susceptibility to SIV. We performed a serial passage of SIV in Chinese macaques, which resulted in a viral stock capable of inducing simian AIDS and high levels of replication in these animals. Similar to HIV in humans, SIV pathogenesis in non-human primates is not limited by geographical origin. Chinese macaques are useful in pathogenesis, vaccine, and therapeutic studies in AIDS.

De novo kidney transplantation without use of calcineurin inhibitors preserves renal structure and function at two years.

We performed a randomized prospective trial comparing calcineurin inhibitor (CNI)-free to CNI-based immunosuppression to determine the impact on renal function, structure and gene expression. Sixty-one kidney recipients treated with basiliximab mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and prednisone (P) were randomly assigned to concentration-controlled sirolimus or cyclosporine. Two years post-transplant 55 patients underwent renal function studies, 48 (87%) underwent transplant biopsies; all classified by Banff scoring and 41 by DNA microarrays. Comparing sirolimus/MMF/P to cyclosporine/MMF/P there was a significantly lower serum creatinine (1.35 vs. 1.81 mg/dL; p = 0.008), higher Cockroft-Gault glomerular filtration rate (GFR) (80.4 vs. 63.4 mL/min; p = 0.008), iothalamate GFR (60.6 vs. 49.2 mL/min; p = 0.018) and Banff 0 (normal) biopsies (66.6 vs. 20.8%; p = 0.013). Regression analysis of calculated GFRs from 1 to 36 months yielded a positive slope for sirolimus of 3.36 mL/min/year, and a negative slope for cyclosporine of -1.58 mL/min/year (p = 0.008). Gene expression profiles from kidneys with higher Banff chronic allograft nephropathy (CAN) scores confirmed significant up-regulation of genes responsible for immune/inflammation and fibrosis/tissue remodeling. At 2 years the sirolimus-treated recipients have better renal function, a diminished prevalence of CAN and down-regulated expression of genes responsible for progression of CAN. All may provide for an alternative natural history with improved graft survival.