In vivo treatment of (NZB X NZW)F1 lupus-like nephritis with monoclonal antibody to gamma interferon.

The (NZB X NZW)F1 mouse is recognized as an important animal model of the human disease systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Groups of NZB/W F1 mice were treated either with IFN-gamma or with PBS. The results demonstrate that IFN-treated animals have accelerated development of fatal immune complex glomerulonephritis relative to age-matched controls. On the other hand, administration of mAbs specific for IFN-gamma to such mice from 4 to 7 mo of age resulted in significant remission. Development of both proteinuria and anti-DNA antibodies were delayed and survival at 11 mo was increased from less than 20% to 95% in treated mice relative to controls (p less than or equal to 0.001). These findings may have therapeutic implications for the treatment of SLE.

Antagonistic effects of gamma interferon and steroids on tissue antigenicity.

A single injection of 10(5) U/kg of recombinant rat IFN-gamma increases the amount of tissue dendritic cells up to sixfold, and concomitantly induces the (capillary) endothelial cells to express class II MHC antigens. Both responses peak on the third day after IFN-gamma injection, and the antigen expression returns to basic levels on day 7. Simultaneous administration of 1 mg/kg/d of methylprednisolone entirely abolishes both responses. These observations demonstrate, for the first time, that IFN-gamma and steroids have antagonistic effects on class II MHC antigen presentation in tissue, and suggest that one immunosuppressive mechanism of glucocorticosteroids in organ transplantation is downregulation of graft antigenicity.

Sporozoite vaccine induces genetically restricted T cell elimination of malaria from hepatocytes.

The target of the CD8+ T cell-dependent immunity that protects mice immunized with irradiation-attenuated malaria sporozoites has not been established. Immune BALB/c mice were shown to develop malaria-specific, CD8+ T cell-dependent inflammatory infiltrates in their livers after challenge with Plasmodium berghei sporozoites. Spleen cells from immune BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice eliminated hepatocytes infected with the liver stage of P. berghei in vitro. The activity against infected hepatocytes is not inhibited by antibodies to interferon-gamma and is not present in culture supernatants. It is genetically restricted, an indication that malaria antigens on the hepatocyte surface are recognized by immune T effector cells. Subunit vaccine development will require identification of the antigens recognized by these T cells and a method of immunization that induces such immunity.

Synergistic antitumor effects of rat gamma-interferon and human tumor necrosis factor alpha against androgen-dependent and -independent rat prostatic tumors.

We have examined the antitumor effects of rat gamma-interferon (IFN-gamma) and human tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF) against androgen-dependent and -independent Dunning rat prostatic tumors. In vitro studies, using the double layer soft agar assay, showed a very limited antiproliferative activity of the drugs in the dose range tested (1-1000 units IFN-gamma and/or 1-1000 ng TNF/dish). For in vivo studies IFN-gamma and TNF were administered s.c., peritumorally. IFN-gamma was given 3 times/week, 8,000 or 80,000 units/rat, and TNF 5 times/week, 10 or 100 micrograms/rat. IFN-gamma and TNF monotherapy were not significantly effective in inhibiting tumor growth, except for IFN-gamma against the androgen-independent MatLyLu tumor. Combinations of IFN-gamma and TNF had synergistic antiproliferative effects against all four tumor lines tested; however, complete growth inhibitions could not be achieved. Survival studies showed significant increase in survival of tumor-bearing rats.

Interferon-gamma induces class II MHC antigens on RINm5F cells.

The ability of recombinant interferon-gamma (rIFN-gamma) to induce major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigen expression in the rat insulinoma cell line RINm5F was investigated. The cells were stained with monoclonal antibodies specific for rat class I and class II MHC antigens. RINm5F cells endogenously expressed class I antigens; this was enhanced by rIFN-gamma. Class II antigens could not be detected on RINm5F cells, but both I-A and I-E were induced by rIFN-gamma.

Rat monocytes up-regulate NKR-P1A and down-modulate CD4 and CD43 during activation in vivo: monocyte subpopulations in normal and IFN-gamma-treated rats.

LEW rats were treated intravenously with recombinant rat interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) for 3 days to achieve intravascular accumulation, proliferation, and activation of monocytes. Monocytes, defined by their expression of the ED1, ED9, and Ox41 antigens, were recovered from the vasculature by perfusion with PBS/EDTA, subsequently depleted of erythrocytes and granulocytes by Percoll density gradient centrifugation, and analyzed by flow cytometry and immunocytology. In untreated and control-infused specified pathogen-free (SPF) rats, lymphocytes and monocytes formed overlapping cell populations with respect to size and internal granularity. At least two intravascular monocyte subsets, probably central and marginating cells, were distinguished by their size and differential expression of CD43, CD4, CD11a, CD18, and L-selectin. It is interesting to note that a fraction of the monocytes in normal and control-infused animals carried the NKR-P1A molecule. IFN-gamma treatment provoked a duplication of monocyte size and granularity. Both the number of positive monocytes and the level of expression of NKR-P1A strongly increased after IFN-gamma infusion, whereas CD43 (leukosialin) and CD4 were impressively down-regulated. NKR-P1A+ L-selectin+ CD43low CD4- monocytes also occur in the vasculature of rats during immune reactions in vivo. We speculate that these cells are involved in organ damage and that their number is controlled by activation-induced cell death within the vessels.

Prevention of experimental autoimmune neuritis by nasal administration of P2 protein peptide 57-81.

Experimental autoimmune neuritis (EAN) is a CD4+ T cell-mediated inflammatory demyelinating disease of the peripheral nervous system (PNS) that serves as a model for Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) in humans. Both EAN and GBS are associated with upregulated T and B cells responses to PNS myelin proteins including P2 protein, and by changes of the Th1/Th2 cell balance in favor of Th1. Here we report that EAN can be prevented by the dominant neuritogenic peptide 57-81 of the PNS P2 protein when given nasally before immunization of Lewis rats with bovine PNS myelin (BPM) + Freund's complete adjuvant (FCA). P2 peptide-tolerized rats were also resistant to EAN relapse after challenge with BPM. Tolerance to EAN in rats receiving high dose (60 microg/day/rat) P2 peptide nasally was associated with specific T and B cell anergy. This was characterized by the failure of T cells to proliferate in response to PNS myelin antigens, while responsiveness to phytohemagglutinin was retained. Numbers of BPM- and P2 peptide-reactive interferon-gamma mRNA expressing lymph node cells were reduced, while levels of P2 peptide-reactive interleukin 4 and transforming growth factor-beta mRNA-expressing cells were markedly upregulated on day 18 post immunization in the rats receiving high dose P2 peptide nasally. Tolerance to EAN was also associated with lower CD4+ cell infiltration, low-grade inflammation, or the absence of histological evidence of EAN, as well as with low IL-2 receptor and MHC class II molecule expression within the PNS. This is the first study showing that mucosal tolerance is applicable to EAN and, as an extension, could be considered in GBS.

Interferon-alpha and -gamma expression in the rat testis.

Interferon-alpha (IFN alpha), -beta, and -gamma are well known for their antiviral, antiproliferative, and immunoregulatory activities. Although several studies suggest an involvement of IFNs in the spermatogenic process, nothing is known about the possible production of these molecules within the testis. Moreover, the antiviral capabilities of testicular cells have not yet been explored despite their importance in the context of sexually transmissible diseases. Using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, a cytopathic inhibition micromethod assay, and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, the present study demonstrates for the first time that IFN alpha and -gamma are produced by testicular cells. IFN alpha protein and corresponding messenger RNA are expressed by peritubular, Sertoli, and germ cells. In vitro, IFN alpha production by Sertoli cells, peritubular cells, and early spermatids was inducible by the Sendai virus, whereas pachytene spermatocyte IFN alpha production was not triggered by this virus. Of all the testicular cell types tested, Sertoli cells by far produced the highest concentrations of IFN alpha/beta, followed by peritubular cells. Both IFN gamma messenger RNA and IFN gamma protein were found in early spermatids, but, in contrast, were not produced by peritubular cells, Sertoli cells, or pachytene spermatocytes. In conclusion, our study establishes the cellular distribution of IFNs within the seminiferous tubules and provides the basis for research into the possible involvement of IFNs in regulation of the spermatogenic process. To the best of our knowledge, our results afford the first insight on how the testicular antiviral defense system is organized.

Immunocytochemical localization of the elongation factor Tu in E. coli cells.

The localization of the elongation factor Tu (EF-Tu) in ultrathin cryosections of E. coli cells was determined with the electron microscope using a highly specific immunological labelling technique. EF-Tu is distributed almost homogeneously throughout the cytoplasm. Although it has often been suggested that EF-Tu could be part of a putative prokaryotic cytoskeleton, we did not find any evidence for supramolecular assemblies, such as fibres or filaments, containing a large amount of EF-Tu. EF-Tu was not observed in association with the outer cell membrane and periplasmic space. A topological relationship with the inner membrane is not apparent in our micrographs. In cells in which the EF-Tu level is raised significantly, the protein piles up in discrete cell regions.

Assays for antibodies to human interferon-alpha: the need for standardization.

Since the first reported occurrence of anti-interferon (IFN) antibodies in 1981, the reported incidence of antibody production has differed enormously. In some clinical trials of human IFN preparations, no patients developed antibodies, whereas other studies reported an incidence of more than 80%. In patients with hepatitis C, the reported incidence varies from 7% to 61%. One of the factors contributing to the variability of the results is the lack of a standard assay system to measure antibodies to IFNs. In 1994, a Concerted Action funded by the European Commission started to coordinate studies into the immunogenicity of recombinant DNA-derived pharmaceuticals. These studies aimed to examine whether antibodies could interfere with the efficacy of treatment and also studied the long-term effects on cytokines produced by the patients themselves. Only when a well-calibrated and standardized assay is available, however, will it be possible to define the biologically relevant titer of antibody. Assays for both binding and neutralizing antibodies are discussed here.

Monoclonal antibodies to human immune interferon and their use in a sensitive solid-phase ELISA.

Two stable hybridoma cell lines secreting specific antibodies against human gamma interferon (HuIFN-gamma) were established. Both monoclonal antibodies (designated as MD-1 and MD-2) belong to the IgG1/kappa subclass and neutralize the antiviral activity of natural and recombinant DNA derived HuIFN-gamma (nHuIFN-gamma and rHuIFN-gamma respectively), although MD-1 is far more effective than MD-2. MD-1 and MD-2 recognize different epitopes and do not compete with each other in binding to HuIFN-gamma as concluded from competition assays. In a 'Western' blot, both antibodies reacted with the 20 kDa and 25 kDa polypeptides present in nHuIFN-gamma preparations. A sandwich enzyme immunoassay using microtiter plates coated with unlabeled MD-2 was developed. Biotinylated MD-1 was used as the second antibody. Bound MD-1 was detected by an avidin/alkaline phosphatase enzyme reaction. This immunoassay is highly specific and as sensitive as a bioassay. A radioimmunoassay using MD-2 coated on polystyrene balls and 125I-labeled MD-1 as the second antibody showed a sensitivity comparable to that of the enzyme immunoassay.

Assessment of the inhibitory effect of immunosuppressive agents on rat T cell interferon-gamma production using an ELISPOT assay.

The immunospot (ELISPOT) assay has proven to be an efficient and sensitive method for the enumeration of single cells secreting antibodies or cytokines. Here we show that the generation of interferon-gamma producing cells (IFN-gamma pc) in rat spleen cell cultures stimulated with concanavalin A (ConA) is dose-dependently inhibited by a wide variety of immunosuppressants such as cyclosporin A, FK506, hydrocortisone, dexamethasone, azathioprine and ART-18, a monoclonal antibody (mAb) with established immunosuppressive activity in organ transplantation and autoimmunity. The minimal inhibitory concentration (m.i.c.) correlated well with the reported m.i.c. in the mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) assay and the therapeutically effective plasma levels in vivo. Our data indicate that the IFN-gamma-specific immunospot assay is a powerful tool for determining the potency of immunosuppressive agents in vitro and provides a simple and accurate method for screening large numbers of agents with suspected immunosuppressive properties. The assay may additionally prove to be of value for determining the therapeutically effective doses of immunosuppressants that should be administered in vivo.

Rat ependyma and microglia cells express class II MHC antigens after intravenous infusion of recombinant gamma interferon.

Recombinant rat gamma-interferon was administered to Lewis rats by continuous intravenous infusion. After a 3-day administration period, at various dosages, a constant pattern of class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigen induction was found in the brains and cerebella. Immunohistological double staining for class II antigens and glial fibrillary acidic protein showed that the majority of newly induced cells were microglia. The endothelium of large blood vessels and ependymal cells also expressed class II antigens. These findings demonstrate that systemically raised interferon levels can affect MHC antigen expression in the brain. Astrocytes are obviously not the primary cell type to acquire class II reactivity, and thus potential antigen-presenting capacity, in this situation.

Increase of major histocompatibility complex class II--positive cells in cardiac allografts by interferon-gamma has no impact on graft survival.

The present study was initiated to study the efficacy of donor pretreatment with interferon-gamma to induce class II antigen expression in heart tissue, and to investigate whether this pretreatment would influence heart allograft survival. BN rats were used as donors, and LEW rats as recipients. During a period of 3 consecutive days prior to transplantation, IFN-gamma was administered to BN rats via continuous intravenous infusion at dosages of 10(3), 10(4), and 5.10(4) U/hr. Control animals were infused with PBS; each group consisted of 9 animals. Analysis of IFN-gamma induced class II expression by immunoperoxidase staining revealed a significant, fourfold increase in the number of dendriticlike cells, irrespective of the IFN-gamma dose given (controls: 15 +/- 4 vs. highest dose group: 57 +/- 9 cells/mm2; P less than 0.005). Endothelial cells of arteries and venules remained class II antigen negative. Grafting of hearts from IFN-gamma perfused donors to untreated recipients (6 animals per group), did not result in a shortened or prolonged survival time in any of the experimental groups, as compared to controls. These results indicate that upgrading of class II antigen expression on dendriticlike cells is not likely to be of importance for the process of rejection.

Alteration in the level of interferon-gamma results in acceleration of Theiler's virus-induced demyelinating disease.

Intracerebral (i.c.) inoculation of susceptible strains of mice with Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV) results in immune-mediated demyelination. We examined the role of interferon (IFN)-gamma in this virally induced pathogenesis. Intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of susceptible mice with an IFN-gamma-neutralizing monoclonal antibody (mAb), DB-1, resulted in a significantly accelerated onset of disease. The anti-IFN-gamma mAb-treated animals showed a strong delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) response to the virus similar to that of control mAb-treated animals. Treatment with anti-IFN-gamma mAb had no significant effect on the clinical course of disease. However, intracerebral administration of recombinant IFN-gamma significantly accelerated the onset of TMEV-induced disease, as well as enhanced TMEV-specific T cell proliferation and DTH responses. The enhancing effect of IFN-gamma was completely abrogated by simultaneous treatment with anti-IFN-gamma mAb. Collectively, our data suggest that the level of IFN-gamma plays a key role in the TMEV-induced inflammatory response and a perturbation of this balance may result in an alteration in the course of the demyelinating disease.

Agonistic and antagonistic interactions of anti-interleukin 2 receptor monoclonal antibodies in rat recipients of cardiac allografts.

A panel of five mouse mAbs recognizing 4 distinct epitopes (R1-4) of the rat 55kD IL-2R molecule were tested for their influence on acute rejection (8 days) of (LEWxBN)F1 cardiac allografts in LEW hosts. IL-2R1 targeted therapy with ART-18 (IgG1, inhibits IL-2-dependent responses) prolonged graft survival to ca.21 days. IL-2R2 is recognized by ART-65 and ART-75, mAbs that do not inhibit T cell growth. Treatment with ART-65 (IgG1) but not ART-75 (IgG2a) abrogated acute rejection (ca. 16 days and 9 days, respectively). ART-35, an anti-IL-2R3 mAb (IgG1, does not inhibit T cell function) extended graft survival marginally to ca. 12 days. Finally, therapy with OX-39, (anti-R4 IgG1 mAb, inhibits IL-2 binding, but not IL-2-driven growth) was completely ineffectual. Simultaneous targeting of two IL-2R epitopes increased the therapeutic index synergistically (ART-18 [R1] + ART-65 [R2]--60% permanent graft acceptance), additively (ART-75 [R1] + ART-35 [R3]--graft survival ca. 18 days), or did not improve further graft survival at all (ART-18 [R1] + OX-39 [R4]--graft survival ca. 18 days). Thus, the cellular targeting patterns and isotype of mAbs are crucial: (1) targeting at functionally distinct epitopes controls rejection most effectively; (2) IgG1 and IgG2b mAbs are more influential in vivo than IgG2a, data supported by the studies employing the family of ART-18 isotype switch variants. Treatment with anti-IL-2R mAb did not depress Ts activity as tested both in vitro and in vivo. Sparing of putative Ts by mAb is also shown by thymectomy of graft recipients before or during ART-18 therapy, which shortened graft survival to 13-15 days; thymectomy after ART-18 therapy did not influence graft survival. However, infusion of IFN-gamma recreated classic acute rejection within 10 days in otherwise longstanding cardiac allografts in ART-18 treated hosts. Upregulation of MHC class II antigen and IL-2R expression seems to be primarily responsible for this striking biological effect of IFN-gamma in vivo.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Antigen-specific immunosuppression: nasal tolerance to P0 protein peptides for the prevention and treatment of experimental autoimmune neuritis in Lewis rats.

Experimental autoimmune neuritis (EAN) is an autoimmune inflammatory demyelinating disease of the peripheral nervous system (PNS), and represents an animal model of the human Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). In this study, we report that nasal administration of the neuritogenic peptide 180-199 and of the cryptic peptide 56-71 of the rat neuritogenic P0 protein of peripheral nerve myelin prevents EAN and attenuates ongoing EAN. Both peptides effectively decreased the severity and shortened clinical EAN. Both a prophylactic and a therapeutic approach proved to be beneficial. These effects were associated with T and B cells hyporesponsiveness to the peptide antigens, reflected by downregulated Th1 cell responses (interferon-gamma secretion) and macrophage function, whereas Th2 cell responses (IL-4 secretion) and transforming growth factor-beta mRNA expression were upregulated.

Discontinuation of treatment with IFN-beta leads to exacerbation of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in Lewis rats. Rapid reversal of the antiproliferative activity of IFN-beta and excessive expansion of autoreactive T cells as disease promoting mechanisms.

IFN-beta has recently been shown to exert remarkable beneficial effects on disease development in patients with early stage relapsing-remitting MS. The specific immune mechanism(s) by which IFN-beta ameliorates this human demyelinating disease is at present undefined. One potential mechanism may reside in the antiproliferative activity of IFN-beta which may inhibit the expansion of autoaggressive T cells thereby limiting disease progression. In the present study we investigated whether the administration of recombinant rat IFN-beta (rrIFN-beta) to Lewis rats with actively induced experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) inhibits the expansion of encephalitogenic T cells in lymphoid organs and as such may contribute to suppression of disease activity in this widely used animal model for MS. Our data show that daily administrations of > or = 3 x 10(5) u rrIFN-beta to EAE rats, starting two days before MBP sensitization and continued for 10 days led to a dramatic and dose-dependent reduction in encephalitogenic T cells in both spleen and inguinal lymph nodes at day 8 post-immunization (p.i.). However, the rrIFN-beta-mediated reduction in effector T cells did not ameliorate paralytic disease as expected but significantly enhanced the severity of EAE. Analyses of lymphoid organs in the remission phase of EAE revealed strongly elevated numbers of encephalitogenic T cells in rrIFN-beta-treated versus control rats suggesting a rapid reversal of the antiproliferative action of rrIFN-beta followed by an overshoot in the subsequent expansion of these effector T cells. In conformity with higher numbers of encephalitogenic T cells and worsening of disease, animals also showed significantly greater perivascular inflammation in the CNS. The relevance of our findings in relation to the beneficial effects of IFN-beta in MS is discussed.

Synergistic immunosuppressive effects of monoclonal antibodies specific for interferon-gamma and tumor necrosis factor alpha. A skin transplantation study in the rhesus monkey.

Interferon gamma and tumor necrosis factor alpha play a significant role in the upregulation of host immunity and inflammation, for example by induction and enhancement of the expression of major histocompatibility complex class I and II antigens on a wide variety of cell types, both in vitro and in vivo. In this study two crossreactive monoclonal antibodies, one specific for human IFN-gamma (MD1), the other specific for human TNF-alpha (61E71), were tested for immunosuppressive potencies in a skin transplantation study in the rhesus monkey. Treatment with either MD1 or 61E71 alone did not prolong skin-graft-survival times. In combination, however, these antibodies augmented graft survival times significantly. Infiltration of the skin grafts by lymphocytes and histiocytes was delayed, and upregulation of MHC class I and II expression was retarded. This is the first reported demonstration of a synergistic effect of mAbs specific for IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha in the suppression of allograft rejection in primates.

Nasal administration of myelin basic protein prevents relapsing experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in DA rats by activating regulatory cells expressing IL-4 and TGF-beta mRNA.

This study explores nasal administration of myelin basic protein (MBP) as a potential means of inducing tolerance to relapsing experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (PR-EAE), an experimental multiple sclerosis (MS) model that was induced in DA rats by immunization with rat spinal cord homogenate and incomplete Freund's adjuvant. DA rats received a total dosage of 0, 6, 60, 600 micrograms/rat of bovine MBP on ten consecutive days prior to immunization. EAE with typical course was observed in control rats receiving only PBS nasally, and in rats receiving 6 micrograms/rat of MBP. Rats receiving 60 micrograms/rat of MBP developed acute EAE but no relapse during 60 days of observation post immunization (p.i.). Only one of eight rats receiving 600 micrograms/rat of MBP developed slight, transient EAE. This protection was confirmed at the histology level and was associated with decreased levels of MBP-reactive IFN-gamma secreting Th1-like spleen cells on day 13 and 60 p.i. Rats receiving 60 and 600 micrograms/rat of MBP showed decreased serum anti-MBP IgG2b antibody levels on day 60 p.i., and rats receiving 600 micrograms/rat of MBP had marginally increased anti-MBP IgG1 antibody levels in serum compared to control EAE rats. Cytokine mRNA profiles in central nervous system (CNS) and spleen mononuclear cells were evaluated. Dose-dependent reduction of TNF-alpha mRNA expression were observed both in CNS and in splenocytes. Increased IL-4 and TGF-beta mRNA expression were observed in CNS of low (6 micrograms/rat) and median (60 micrograms/rat) dose of MBP tolerized rats and in splenocytes of rats tolerized with 600 micrograms/rat of MBP. We conclude that nasal administration of MBP in DA rat prevents EAE induced by immunization with whole rat spinal cord homogenate that, besides MBP, contains multiple antigenic myelin proteins. A mechanism involving MBP-reactive regulatory cells expressing IL-4 and TGF-beta mRNA acts as part in the induction of this tolerance.