Monohydroxylated fatty acid content in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and immune status of people at long times after the Chernobyl accident.

The monohydroxylated fatty acid content of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 23 cleanup workers and 16 unexposed individuals was studied in relation to their immune status after the Chernobyl accident. Men with absorbed doses below 0.32 Gy showed higher levels of free and esterified 12-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (12-HETE) than unexposed men, whereas 15-HETE and the 17-hydroxy derivative of C22 fatty acid (17-OH 22), either free or esterified in phospholipids, were increased in a dose-dependent manner. The percentage of CD4-positive cells was also increased significantly in heavily irradiated men, whereas the percentage of CD8-positive cells tended to decrease with dose. Furthermore, the absolute count of CD4-positive cells was correlated positively with the amount of esterified 15-HETE in the phospholipid fraction of the mononuclear cells and with the total 15-HETE. These results show for the first time that the accumulation of autoxidized/lipoxygenase products of polyunsaturated fatty acids in the mononuclear cells of irradiated individuals was associated with immune imbalance. This may be the basis for certain late effects of radiation such as autoimmune disorders, somatic and neoplastic diseases, and early aging.

The cAMP-specific phosphodiesterase PDE4D3 is regulated by phosphatidic acid binding. Consequences for cAMP signaling pathway and characterization of a phosphatidic acid binding site.

Hormones and growth factors induce in many cell types the production of phosphatidic acid (PA), which has been proposed to play a role as a second messenger. We have previously shown in an acellular system that PA selectively stimulates certain isoforms of type 4 cAMP-phosphodiesterases (PDE4). Here we studied the effect of endogenous PA on PDE activity of transiently transfected MA10 cells overexpressing the PA-sensitive isoform PDE4D3. Cell treatment with inhibitors of PA degradation, including propranolol, induced an accumulation of endogenous PA accompanied by a stimulation of PDE activity and a significant decrease in both cAMP levels and protein kinase A activity. Furthermore, in FRTL5 cells, which natively express PDE4D3, pretreatment with compounds inducing PA accumulation prevented both cAMP increase and cAMP-responsive element-binding protein phosphorylation triggered by thyroid-stimulating hormone. To determine the mechanism of PDE stimulation by PA, endogenous phospholipids were labeled by preincubating MA10 cells overexpressing PDE4D3 with [(32)P]orthophosphate. Immuno- precipitation experiments showed that PA was specifically bound to PDE4D3, supporting the hypothesis that PDE4D3 activation occurs through direct binding of PA to the protein. PA binding site on PDE4D3 was characterized by engineering deletions of selected regions in the N-terminal regulatory domain of the enzyme. Deletion of amino acid residues 31-59 suppressed both PA-activating effect and PA binding, suggesting that this region rich in basic and hydrophobic residues contains the PA binding site. These observations strongly suggest that endogenous PA can modulate cAMP levels in intact cells, through a direct activation of PDE4D3.

Anthracyclines trigger apoptosis of both G0-G1 and cycling peripheral blood lymphocytes and induce massive deletion of mature T and B cells.

The anthracyclines daunorubicin and doxorubicin were shown to induce apoptosis of hematopoietic cell lines. Here we report that they induce apoptosis of both nonactivated and phytohemagglutinin-activated human peripheral blood lymphocytes. Apoptosis demonstrated by surface expression of phosphatidylserine and typical nuclear alterations reached a maximum after 48 h of incubation with these agents. In contrast to topoisomerase inhibitors (etoposide and camptothecin) and antimetabolites (methotrexate and 5-fluorouracil) that induced apoptosis of activated cells only, daunorubicin and doxorubicin triggered apoptosis of cells in the G0-G1 phases of the cell cycle. In agreement with in vitro data, a single i.p. injection of daunorubicin or doxorubicin in BALB/c mice induced T- and B-cell depletion in spleen, lymph nodes, and to a lesser extent in the thymus. Soluble Fas-Fc, CD95 antagonistic antibodies, as well as the p55 tumor necrosis factor receptor-immunoglobulin fusion protein, did not inhibit drug-induced apoptosis. The level of reactive oxygen species was significantly increased in the presence of daunorubicin or doxorubicin only in nonactivated lymphocytes. However, antioxidants such as N-acetyl-L-cysteine or glutathione did not prevent apoptosis. Activation of caspase-3 after daunorubicin or doxorubicin treatment of either nonactivated or activated lymphocytes was demonstrated by the cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, which was, as apoptosis, inhibited by the peptide benzyloxycarbonyl-Val-Ala-Asp-fluoromethylketone. Finally, daunorubicin and doxorubicin induced a rapid production of ceramides. These data indicate that anthracyclines may induce major peripheral T-cell deletion, a property not shared by many cytotoxic agents.

The topoisomerase inhibitors camptothecin and etoposide induce a CD95-independent apoptosis of activated peripheral lymphocytes.

The effect of etoposide and camptothecin, two topoisomerase inhibitors directed against topoisomerases II and I, respectively, was evaluated on human peripheral blood lymphocytes. Etoposide and camptothecin induced apoptosis of mitogen-activated but not resting CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes. Cell sensitivity to these agents required G1 to S-phase transition of the cell cycle. Conversely, daunorubicin, an intercalating agent and topoisomerase II inhibitor, induced apoptosis of both resting and activated lymphocytes. Although etoposide and camptothecin induced CD95-ligand mRNA expression, drug-induced apoptosis of activated human lymphocytes was not inhibited by CD95 antagonists. Drug-induced cell death was also not inhibited by p55 TNFR-Ig fusion protein. Activation of the caspases cascade was suggested by the partial inhibitory effect of the tripeptide zVAD-fmk and documented by activation of caspase 3. Finally etoposide and camptothecin induced a rapid production of ceramide in activated but not resting peripheral blood lymphocytes, suggesting that ceramide might initiate the signaling apoptotic cascade in sensitive cells.

Possible interactions between the NS-1 protein and tumor necrosis factor alpha pathways in erythroid cell apoptosis induced by human parvovirus B19.

Human erythroid progenitor cells are the main target cells of the human parvovirus B19 (B19), and B19 infection induces a transient erythroid aplastic crisis. Several authors have reported that the nonstructural protein 1 (NS-1) encoded by this virus has a cytotoxic effect, but the underlying mechanism of NS-1-induced primary erythroid cell death is still not clear. In human erythroid progenitor cells, we investigated the molecular mechanisms leading to apoptosis after natural infection of these cells by the B19 virus. The cytotoxicity of NS-1 was concomitantly evaluated in transfected erythroid cells. B19 infection and NS-1 expression induced DNA fragmentation characteristic of apoptosis, and the commitment of erythroid cells to undergo apoptosis was combined with their accumulation in the G(2) phase of the cell cycle. Since B19- and NS-1-induced apoptosis was inhibited by caspase 3, 6, and 8 inhibitors, and substantial caspase 3, 6, and 8 activities were induced by NS-1 expression, there may have been interactions between NS-1 and the apoptotic pathways of the death receptors tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 and Fas. Our results suggest that Fas-FasL interaction was not involved in NS-1- or B19-induced apoptosis in erythroid cells. In contrast, these cells were sensitized to tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha)-induced apoptosis. Moreover, the ceramide level was enhanced by B19 infection and NS-1 expression. Therefore, our results suggest that there may be a connection between the respective apoptotic pathways activated by TNF-alpha and NS-1 in human erythroid cells.

Relationships between phosphatidic acid and cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases in activated human blood mononuclear cells.

We have previously shown that mitogenic activation of human PBMC rapidly increases both the intracellular phosphatidic acid (PA) level and cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase (PDE) activity, with time-course responses, suggesting a causative relationship between the two events. PA also directly stimulated cAMP-PDE activity in acellular systems. Thus the mitogenic properties of PA night be due to its ability to lower the level of cAMP, a negative effector of lymphocyte activation, through PDE activation. In this study, human PBMC were stimulated either with the mitogenic lectin ConA, the anti-CD3 mAb OKT3, or the phorbol ester TPA. All three agonists increased the radiolabeled PA level and the PA mass in treated cells and simultaneously increased cytosolic and particulate cAMP- and cGMP-PDE activities, with significant positive correlations between PA accumulation and PDE activities. Furthermore, the ConA-induced PDE activation was dose-dependently reduced by treatment of PBMC with the diacylglycerol-kinase inhibitor R59022. This compound also dose-dependently lowered the PA level and inhibited the proliferative response to ConA. In addition, TPA-induced PDE activation was totally abolished by ethanol, which strongly reduced PA accumulation in response to the phorbol ester. These data suggest that PA increase may be linked to mitogen-induced PDE activation. Experiments performed in the presence of rolipram indicated that ConA and TPA stimulated both the rolipram-sensitive PDE4 and the rolipram-insensitive PDE activities, OKT3 being more active on PDE4. All three agonists stimulated the cGMP-specific PDE5. These results suggest that PA is an important component of the mechanisms that maintain a low level of cyclic nucleotides, which is a prerequisite for an optimal lymphoproliferative response.

Protective effect of docosahexaenoic acid against hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative stress in human lymphocytes.

Oxidatively stressed lymphocytes exhibit decreased proliferative response to mitogenic stimulation. Although several sensitive targets involved in lymphocyte suppression have already been identified, little is known about the influence of oxidative stress on cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases (PDE) (EC 3.1.4.17), thought to play a major role in the control of cyclic AMP (cAMP) level, a well-recognized negative effector of lymphoproliferation. Although the polyunsaturated fatty acid content of membrane phospholipids is thought to be directly related to the extent of oxidant-induced lipid peroxidation, some n-3 fatty acids also seem to have antioxidant effects, depending on the concentration used and the overall redox status of the cells in question. Results of the present study showed that human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) as well as rat thymocytes were relatively resistant to a short-term exposure (10 min) to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Indeed, H2O2-induced lipid peroxidation, estimated by malondialdehyde (MDA) production, was only 2-fold increased by H2O2 concentrations lower than 2 mM, whereas a larger increase (10-fold) could be observed in PBMC at the highest dose (5 mM). Previous enrichment of PBMC with 5 microM docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3), brought to the cells as a fatty acid-albumin complex (ratio 1), significantly reduced MDA production induced by low doses of H2O2, the protective effect no longer being observed at the highest doses. In contrast, eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5n-3) did not have any protective effect. Cytosolic PDE activities of both human PBMC and rat thymocytes were significantly inhibited (40-50%) after H2O2 treatment of the cells, whereas particulate PDE activities were not modified. Different responses of PDE activities to H2O2 treatment were observed when PBMC were first enriched with 22:6n-3 prior to H2O2 addition. In 22:6n-3-treated cells, the H2O2-induced inhibition of both cAMP- and cGMP-PDE cytosolic activities was abolished, whereas the particulate activities were increased by the highest H2O2 concentration used (5 mM). At the same time, the glutathione peroxidase (glutathione: oxidoreductase, EC 1.11.1.9) (GSH-Px) activity of PBMC and thymocytes was only marginally inhibited by H2O2 addition (20%), and pretreatment of the cells with 22:6n-3 did not modify the slight inhibitory effect of H2O2. Collectively, these results suggest that lymphocytes are relatively resistant to H2O2-induced lipid peroxidation due to their high GSH-Px content, and that low doses of 22:6n-3 are able to prevent some of the H2O2-induced alterations such as lipid peroxidation and PDE inhibition. Docosahexaenoic acid might thus offer some protection against oxidant-induced lymphocyte suppression.

Regulation of PDE-4 cAMP phosphodiesterases by phosphatidic acid.

Phosphatidic acid (PA) has been previously shown to activate specifically some of the isoforms of type 4 cylic nucleotide phosphodiesterases (PDE-4) in an acellular system. In the present work, we have investigated the mechanism of PA-activating effect by using a recombinant PA-sensitive isoform, PDE-4D3. The enzyme was specifically activated by acidic phospholipids, but not by zwitterionic phospholipids or anionic detergents. The importance of the role of PA acidic groups in the activation process was confirmed by studying the influence of pH and ionic strength on activation. Crosslinking experiments suggested that PA might influence the ability of PDE-4D3 to form dimers. Binding studies performed with radiolabeled PA showed that PA binds to a PDE-4D3 preparation in a saturable manner. Specifically bound PA was displaced by anionic, but not by zwitterionic phospholipids. With a preparation of PDE-4B2, a PDE-4 isoform insensitive to PA activation, PA binding was only displaced by high concentrations of unlabeled PA, suggesting that high-affinity PA binding sites are only present on PDE-4D3. These data support the hypothesis that PA-activating effect depends on direct binding of the effector on specific sites carried by the PDE-4D3 protein.

Docosahexaenoic acid lowers phosphatidate level in human activated lymphocytes despite phospholipase D activation.

N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids from marine oil have been shown to decrease T cell-mediated immune function both in animals and humans, and to inhibit the mitogen-induced lymphoproliferative response when added to lymphocyte culture medium. As phosphatidic acid (PA) is a key mediator of the mitogenic process, the present study aims to investigate whether docosahexaenoic (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic (EPA) acids, the main n-3 fatty acids from fish oil, are able to alter the mitogen-induced synthesis of PA, when added to the culture medium of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Incubation of PBMC in a medium containing 5 microM DHA bound to 5 microM human delipidated serum albumin induced a 2-fold increase in the basal PA mass whereas incubation with EPA, in the same conditions, had no effect. In contrast, both fatty acids markedly reduced the concanavalin A (ConA)-induced production of PA as compared with untreated cells. Paradoxically, phospholipase D (PLD) activity, evidenced by the synthesis of phosphatidylbutanol, was only detected in DHA-treated cells further stimulated by ConA, indicating that both DHA and ConA are required for PLD activation. Similarly, an increased diacylglycerol (DAG) mass was only observed in DHA-treated cells stimulated by ConA, whereas no modification occurred in control or EPA-treated cells stimulated or not by ConA. Furthermore, 1-butanol suppressed the ConA-induced increase of DAG mass observed in DHA-treated cells, indicating that phosphatidate was the source of the newly synthesized diacylglycerol. Altogether, these results show that, in concanavalin A-activated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells, docosahexaenoate stimulates both phospholipase D and phosphatidate phosphohydrolase activities, which ultimately results in an increased diacylglycerol production at the expense of phosphatidate.

Caspase-dependent ceramide production in Fas- and HLA class I-mediated peripheral T cell apoptosis.

We recently demonstrated that the engagement of HLA class I alpha1 domain induced Fas-independent apoptosis in human T and B lymphocytes. We analyzed the signaling pathway involved in HLA class I-mediated apoptosis in comparison with Fas (APO-1, CD95)-dependent apoptosis. The mouse mAb90 or the rat YTH862 monoclonal antibodies which bind the human HLA class I alpha1 domain induced the production of ceramide which was blocked by addition of the phosphatidylcholine-dependent phospholipase C inhibitor, D609. Furthermore, HLA class I-mediated apoptosis involved at least two different caspases, an interleukin-1 converting enzyme-like protease and another protease inhibited by the CPP32-like protease inhibitor Ac-DEVD-CHO. Despite similarity between Fas and HLA class I signaling pathways, we failed to demonstrate any physical association between these two molecules. We also report that the pan-caspase inhibitory peptide zVAD-fmk, but not Ac-DEVD-CHO and Ac-YVAD-CHO, inhibited decrease of mitochondrial transmembrane potential and generation of ceramide induced by anti-HLA class I and anti-Fas monoclonal antibodies, whereas all three peptides efficiently inhibited apoptosis. Altogether these results suggest that signaling through Fas and HLA class I involve caspase(s), targeted by zVAD-fmk, which act upstream of ceramide generation and mitochondrial events, whereas interleukin-1 converting enzyme-like and CPP32-like proteases act downstream of the mitochondria.

Specific effects of n-3 fatty acids and 8-bromo-cGMP on the cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase activity in neonatal rat cardiac myocytes.

The authors have previously resolved four forms of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase (PDE) in neonatal rat cultured cardiomyocytes by use of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and have shown that the response of the cGMP-stimulated PDE to the effector cGMP was markedly reduced as compared to that of the corresponding isoform present in the heart ventricle of adult rat (70% v 350%). When neonatal rat ventricular myocytes were grown in a medium enriched in docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) or eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), an increase of the basal level of cAMP and mainly cGMP was observed. The cGMP-PDE specific activity in the unfractionated cytosol of DHA-, EPA- or 8-bromo-cGMP-enriched cardiomyocytes was lower than that observed in control cells. Whereas the cAMP-PDE specific activity remained unchanged whatever the treatment used. At the same time, the response of the cGMP-stimulated PDE to cGMP was substantially increased in n-3 fatty acid-enriched cardiomyocytes and reached the same level as in the whole ventricle (340%). The treatment of neonatal cardiomyocytes with 8-bromo-cGMP also re-established the sensitivity of this cGMP-stimulated isozyme to cGMP (320%). These results suggest a common mechanism for polyunsaturated fatty acids and 8-bromo-cGMP in the regulation of the cGMP-stimulated PDE activity in cardiomyocytes from new-born rats.

Selective inhibition of rat heart cAMP phosphodiesterases by lipophilic C-methyl-2-phenyl-4H-1-benzopyran-4-ones (C-methylflavones).

A series of eight methoxylated C-methyl-2-phenyl-4H-1-benzopyran-4-ones 3, 6, 10-15 was evaluated as inhibitors of rat heart cytosolic cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase (PDE). The 2-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-5,7-dimethoxy-3,8-dimethyl-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one (3) and the 2-(4-methoxyphenyl)-5,7-dimethoxy-3,8-dimethyl-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one (10) have never been previously described. Inhibition was performed on the whole cytosolic preparation and on the four PDE isoforms after HPLC purification. The flavones 3, 6, 10, 13 and 14 were selective and potent inhibitors of the isoforms, namely ROI (rolipram-sensitive) and CGI (cGMP-sensitive) PDEs specifically hydrolyzing cAMP. The di-C-methylflavones 3 and 13 have been shown to be potent inhibitors of these two isoforms, with IC50 values in the micromolar range.

Increased respiratory burst and phosphodiesterase activity in alveolar eosinophils in chronic eosinophilic pneumonia.

A 43 year old woman presented with chronic eosinophilic pneumonia characterised by a high alveolar eosinophilic count, which allowed biochemical study of these cells. Alveolar eosinophils spontaneously produced high amounts of oxygen free radicals and exhibited an increased level of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) phosphodiesterase (PDE) activity compared to blood eosinophils from control or allergic subjects. This activity was preferentially located in the plasma membrane, whilst the PDE activity of blood eosinophils from asthmatics or controls predominated in the cytosol. Because of the potential role of phosphodiesterase during eosinophil activation and recruitment, phosphodiesterase inhibitors may be useful in the treatment of eosinophilic pneumonia.

Time-course changes in content and fatty acid composition of phosphatidic acid from rat thymocytes during concanavalin A stimulation.

Several studies have shown the potential role of phosphatidic acid (PA) as a second messenger in different cell types. Thus, PA has been shown to mimic physiological agonists leading to various cellular responses, such as neurotransmitter and hormone release, cell proliferation by modulating DNA or RNA synthesis, the expression of several proto-oncogenes and growth factors, and the stimulation of enzyme activities such as phospholipase C (PLC), protein kinases and cyclic AMP (cAMP) phosphodiesterase. Stimulation of [3H]arachidonate-labelled rat thymocytes with the mitogen lectin concanavalin A (con A) resulted in enhanced production of radiolabelled PA after only 5 min of activation. The radiolabelled PA increase corresponded to a real increase in PA mass as determined by GLC quantification of its fatty acid content. In the presence of ethanol (0.5%), formation of phosphatidylethanol was not observed after 5 min of con A activation. Pretreatment of cells with R 59022 (10 microM), a diacylglycerol (DAG) kinase inhibitor, showed an inhibition in the formation of radiolabelled PA and in PA mass. These results suggest that the PLC-DAG kinase may be the pathway for PA synthesis in the first minutes of mitogenic thymocyte activation. A detailed analysis of the fatty acid composition showed that the relative amount of unsaturated fatty acids was increased in PA from stimulated cells concomitantly with a decrease in saturated ones; in particular, arachidonic acid was increased approximately 2-fold only 2 min after con A addition whereas palmitic acid was decreased for the whole period investigated (20 min). These changes favour the hydolysis of phosphoinositides rather than phosphatidylcholines by PLC. As PA remains a minor phospholipid, these changes are unlikely to affect cell membrane fluidity; but PA being now well recognized as a potential second messenger, its increased content as well as its increased unsaturation in the fatty acyl moiety might modulate several signalling pathways or the activity of enzymes such as cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase, controlling in this way the cellular level of cAMP, a negative regulator of blastic transformation.

Influence of polyunsaturated fatty acids on lipid metabolism in human blood mononuclear cells and early biochemical events associated with lymphocyte activation.

n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids are involved in the regulation of the immune response. Although different hypotheses related to modifications of arachidonic acid metabolism or alterations at the level of the cell membrane have been put forward to explain their suppressive effect on the lymphocyte growth, their mechanism of action remains largely unknown. Cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase (PDE) has been shown to be an important target involved in the control of lymphocyte proliferation. The present study aimed to determine whether in vitro addition of a physiological concentration (5 microM) of n-6 (20:3n-6) or n-3 (18:4n-3, 20:5n-3, 22:6n-3) fatty acids to human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) was able to alter the PDE activity of these cells, and especially the PDE increase in response to Con A stimulation. Pretreatment of human PBMC for a short period of time (90 min) with 5 microM of either 20:3n-6, 20:5n-3 or 22:6n-3 was sufficient to induce a significant enrichment of cellular phospholipids in the corresponding fatty acid, whereas 18:4n-3 was poorly incorporated. Either fatty acid significantly increased both cAMP- and cGMP-PDE activities in the cytosolic compartment, the particulate PDE activities being less sensitive to their stimulatory effect. In contrast, they significantly lowered the PDE increase to Con A stimulation. Except 20:5 n-3, the three other fatty acids did not alter significantly the basal or Con A-induced oxygenated metabolism of arachidonic acid (AA), appreciated by the measurement of radioactive eicosanoids formed in [3H]AA-labelled cells. Furthermore, only 20:5n-3 significantly inhibited the lymphoproliferative response to Con A, whereas 16:0, 18:0, 18:1n-9, 20:3n-6 and 20:4n-6 were inactive. The inhibitory effect was not prevented by antioxidant vitamins C and E. The present results suggest that the lymphocyte growth suppressive effect of 20:5n-3 20:5n-3 is very likely to be independent on both the cAMP system and eicosanoid synthesis, and does not seem to involve their conversion to peroxidised products.

Modulation of rat thymocyte proliferative response through the inhibition of different cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase isoforms by means of selective inhibitors and cGMP-elevating agents.

We have investigated the role played by cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases (EC 3.1.4.17) in the control of T-lymphocyte response to mitogenic agents by their ability to influence the cellular level of cAMP. The importance of this messenger as a negative regulator in this cell type is well established. Multiple isoenzymes of phosphodiesterase were fractionated from the cytosol of rat thymic lymphocytes by high performance liquid chromatography on an anion exchange column. In addition to the type II, III, IV isoforms that we have already described [Valette et al., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 169:864-872 (1990)], a phosphodiesterase fraction sharing several of the characteristics of type V, cGMP-binding phosphodiesterase, was detected. Non-isoform-selective inhibitors of phosphodiesterase such as dipyridamole, papaverine, and methyl-isobutylxanthine were able to totally prevent the proliferative response of thymocytes to stimulation by the mitogenic lectin concanavalin A. In contrast, the selective inhibitor of type IV phosphodiesterases rolipram induced a rather moderate inhibition of proliferation, not exceeding 60%; and the selective inhibitors of type III and type V phosphodiesterases, milrinone and M&B 22,948, respectively, displayed only marginal inhibitory effects. The association of the type III and IV phosphodiesterase inhibitors produced synergistic inhibition of proliferation, which could then be almost totally suppressed. These inhibitory effects on cell multiplication were reflected at the level of the cell cAMP content; only rolipram was able to induce a significant (approximately 50%) increase in cAMP, and this increase was potentiated by the presence of milrinone, reaching almost 100%. The type V phosphodiesterase selective inhibitor M&B 22,948 displayed similar properties to those of milrinone, which suggests that it indirectly inhibited the type III, cGMP-inhibitable isoenzyme, by inducing a cGMP rise. This hypothesis was supported by evidence of a significant raising effect of M&B 22,948 on cGMP level, and by the ability of a cGMP-elevating agent, sodium nitroprusside, to mimic the synergistic effects of milrinone associated with rolipram. Furthermore, 8-bromo-cGMP, a potent activator of cGMP-dependent protein kinase, which showed only weak inhibitory effects on thymic type III phosphodiesterase, failed to alter the effects of rolipram on the cell proliferation. These results allow us to delineate a role for types III, IV, and V phosphodiesterase in the control of cAMP level during the proliferative response of thymic lymphocytes. They also suggest that endogenously formed cGMP might participate in the regulation of cAMP level in the cells by means of the inhibition of the type III phosphodiesterase.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Impaired G-proteins and cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase activity in T-lymphocytes from patients with sarcoidosis.

Among the various immune abnormalities which characterize active sarcoidosis, a low proliferative response of peripheral blood lymphocytes to mitogenic lectins has long been observed. Since membrane-associated G-proteins are very likely to be crucial elements in lectin signal transduction, we investigated the binding of 5'-guanylylimidodiphosphate (GppNHp), a non hydrolyzable GTP analogue, to blood total lymphocyte membranes and to blood T-lymphocyte membranes from patients with active sarcoidosis, and from healthy control subjects. GppNHp binding was markedly decreased in peripheral cells from patients with sarcoidosis as compared to controls, suggesting the occurrence of a defect at the level of G-protein(s). A further characterization of G-proteins in these cells by means of ADP-ribose-labelling in the presence of bacterial toxins brought forward a significant decrease in the labelling of a 40 kDa protein, the major pertussis toxin substrate, in membranes from sarcoid patients, while the labelling of the major 44 kDa cholera toxin substrate proved to be unchanged with respect to control membranes. It is hypothesized that, in sarcoid lymphocytes, a defect in the negative control of adenylate cyclase mediated by the inhibitory G-protein Gi, prevents the lowering of cAMP necessary to normal mitogenic response of blood lymphocytes to stimulation. cAMP degradation by the specialized enzyme phosphodiesterase constitutes another critical step in the control of cAMP levels. Both cAMP and cGMP phosphodiesterase activities were found decreased in blood total lymphocyte preparations from sarcoid patients. With purified T-cells, although the mean cAMP and cGMP phosphodiesterase activities from sarcoid patients were found more markedly decreased with respect to healthy donors, only the decrease in cGMP phosphodiesterase was found statistically significant. The role these defects in cyclic nucleotide degradation potentially play in the disturbance of blood lymphocytes response associated with sarcoidosis is discussed.

Diethyldithiocarbamate (ditiocarb sodium) effect on arachidonic acid metabolism in human mononuclear cells. Glutathione peroxidase-like activity.

Diethyldithiocarbamate (DTC), a thiol delivery agent, has been shown to significantly reduce the frequency of primary opportunistic infections in HIV-infected patients. This therapeutic effect has been related to the capacity of DTC to reverse the deleterious effects of the oxidative stress occurring in HIV infection. The influence of DTC on the oxygenated metabolism of arachidonic acid (AA) was investigated in mitogen-stimulated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Upon incubation with PBMC previously labelled with [3H]AA, Concanavalin A (Con A) markedly increased cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase activities, within 30 min, as judged by thromboxane B2 (TxB2) and hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (HETE) production. Con A activation of [3H]AA platelets also increased 12-HETE production but did not induce any TxB2 synthesis. Micromolar concentrations of DTC, added simultaneously with the mitogen, significantly enhanced the synthesis of HETEs above the Con A-induced level while TxB2-induced synthesis was inhibited but only at DTC concentrations higher than 50 microM. In the presence of nordihydroguaiaretic acid, a lipoxygenase inhibitor, which inhibited the Con A-induced synthesis of HETEs by 78%, DTC no longer stimulated HETE production above the Con A-induced level. Reverse phase HPLC analysis showed that Con A increased the PBMC production of 5-, 12- and 15-HETEs. In the presence of 5 microM DTC, 5-HETE production was entirely suppressed whereas the 15-HETE level was markedly enhanced, 12-HETE production by the contaminating platelets remained unchanged. In vitro experiments indicated that DTC alone did not significantly influence 15-hydroperoxyeicosatetraenoic (15-HPETE) production by the soybean 15-lipoxygenase but, in the presence of added reduced glutathione, DTC markedly reduced 15-HPETE into 15-HETE. In addition, DTC was able to substitute for cellular extract in the glutathione peroxidase (GPx) assay system. Taken together, these results indicate that DTC, through its "GPx-like" activity is able to modify the lipoxygenase cascade. Its ability to selectively reduce 15-HPETE known to stimulate immunosuppressive T-cells might help to explain its positive regulatory effect upon the immune system.