Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition of mesothelial cells is an early event during peritoneal dialysis and is associated with high peritoneal transport.

Ultrafiltration (UF) failure is a consequence of long-term peritoneal dialysis (PD). Fibrosis, angiogenesis, and vasculopathy are causes of this functional disorder after 3-8 years on PD. Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of mesothelial cell (MC) is a key process leading to peritoneal fibrosis with functional deterioration. Our purpose was to study the peritoneal anatomical changes during the first months on PD, and to correlate them with peritoneal functional parameters. We studied 35 stable PD patients for up to 2 years on PD, with a mean age of 45.3+/-14.5 years. Seventy-four percent of patients presented loss of the mesothelial layer, 46% fibrosis (>150 microm) and 17% in situ evidence of EMT (submesothelial cytokeratin staining), which increased over time. All patients with EMT showed myofibroblasts, while only 36% of patients without EMT had myofibroblasts. The number of peritoneal vessels did not vary when we compared different times on PD. Vasculopathy was present in 17% of the samples. Functional studies were used to define the peritoneal transport status. Patients in the highest quartile of mass transfer area coefficient of creatinine (Cr-MTAC) (>11.8 ml min(-1)) showed significantly higher EMT prevalence (P=0.016) but similar number of peritoneal vessels. In the multivariate analysis, the highest quartile of Cr-MTAC remained as an independent factor predicting the presence of EMT (odds ratio 12.4; confidence interval: 1.6-92; P=0.013) after adjusting for fibrosis (P=0.018). We concluded that, during the first 2 PD years, EMT of MCs is a frequent morphological change in the peritoneal membrane. High solute transport status is associated with its presence but not with increased number of peritoneal vessels.

[Animal models of peritoneal dialysis: relevance, difficulties, and future]. / Modelos animales de diálisis peritoneal: relevancia, dificultades y futuro.

The studies performed with human peritoneal biopsies of peritoneal dialysis -patients have demonstrated that exposure to peritoneal dialysis fluid induce peritoneal deterioration. The main alterations of peritoneal membrane are fibrosis and angiogenesis that ends with the failure of the ultrafiltration capacity of the peritoneal membrane. These studies are descriptivist and scarcely help to investigate the mechanisms and stages involved on the process. Therefore, it is necessary to supply the deficiencies presented by the studies with patients. The experimental models have strongly contributed to the knowledge of the pathologic process that is induced by the continuous exposition of the peritoneal membrane to the dialysis fluids. Most of the peritoneal dialysis studies use the rat as the experimental animal. Due to the difficulty of working with small animals, few studies have been done in mice. However, models in mice offers great advantages, as long as they allow us to employ different strains and genetically modified animals. We have recently developed an experimental model in mouse of exposure of the peritoneal membrane to dialysis fluids, which resembles the process of peritoneal damage that take place during peritoneal dialysis treatment in human patients.

[Theoretical bases for the proposal of a randomized, controlled, open label clinical trial to assess the efficacy of adding bemiparin to the icodextrin solution in patients on peritoneal dialysis with peritoneal transport disorders [FRIAT-BEM-2005-01]]. / Bases teóricas para la propuesta de un ensayo clínico aleatorizado, controlado y abierto, para evaluar la eficacia de la adición de bemiparina a la solución de icodextrina en pacientes en diálisis peritoneal con trastornos del transporte peritoneal [FRIAT-BEM-2005-01].

Multiple investigations performed on peritoneal pathophysiology during peritoneal dialysis (PD) suggest that intraperitoneal heparin might modify most of the causes of membrane deterioration. The actions described favouring this idea are: 1) Peritoneal Chronic inflammation alters peritoneal function and hepraine has anti-inflammatory properties. 2) Peritoneal fibrosis related to peritoneal dialysis or traumatic injury may be avoided or limited with heparin. 3) Heparine induces tPA synthesis by mesothelial cells, which represents a potentiation of fibrinolytic action. 4) Heparine, specifically low-molecular weight heparin, inhibits angiogenesis. 5) Intraperitoneal heparin favors the removal of advanced glycosilation end products in PD. 6) Animal models and clinical studies with small series of patients have demonstrated an improvement of peritoneal function with intraperitoneal heparine use. 7) Until now, no adverse effects of the intraperitoneal heparin use have been found. In consequence, it is a plausible hypothesis to consider that intraperitoneal heparin may favourably modify peritoneal function in patients under peritoneal dialysis.

Effects of rapamycin on the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition of human peritoneal mesothelial cells.

The preservation of the peritoneal membrane is crucial for long-term survival in peritoneal dialysis. Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a process demonstrated in mesothelial cells (MC), responsible for negative peritoneal changes and directly related to PD. EMT enables neovascularization and fibrogenic capabilities in MC. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is the mediator for neo-vascularization. Rapamycin is a potent immunosuppressor with antifibrotic action in renal allografts and has a demonstrated anti-VEGF effect. We performed this study with the hypothesis that rapamycin may regulate the EMT of MC. MC from human omentum were cultured. When mesothelial cells reached confluence, some of them were stimulated with r-TGF-beta (1 ng/mL) to induce EMT, co-administered with rapamycin (0.2, 2, 4, 20 and 40 nM). Other groups of cells received similar doses of rapamycin or r-TGF-beta, separately. Cells were analyzed at 6, 24, 48 hours and 7 days. As markers of EMT we included alfa -SMA, E-cadherin and snail nuclear factor by quantitative RT-PCR. EMT markers and regulators demonstrated the following changes with rapamycin: E-cadherin (a protective gene for EMT) increased 2.5-fold relative to controls under 40 nM, at 24h. Importantly, rapamycin inhibited snail expression induced by TGF-beta at 6h, whereas TGF-beta increased snail 10-fold. At day 7, rapamycin showed no anti-EMT properties. An important decrease in alfa -SMA expression by MC after rapamycin addition was observed. In conclusion, rapamycin shows a mild protective effect on EMT, as it increases E-cadherin and decreases alfa -SMA expression. Consequently, rapamycin might partially regulate the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition of mesothelial cells.

Anti-gamma delta T cell antibody blocks the induction and maintenance of oral tolerance to ovalbumin in mice.

The oral administration of antigens is one of the means of inducing tolerance in adult mammals. In this report, the role of gamma delta T cells in the induction and maintenance of orally-induced tolerance to ovalbumin was investigated. The injection of a monoclonal anti-gamma delta T cell monoclonal antibody blocked the induction of oral tolerance, because the secondary immune responses to ovalbumin in these animals were comparable to the corresponding responses in ovalbumin-immunized control mice. Furthermore, depletion of gamma delta T cells either in vivo or in vitro abolished already established oral-tolerance. The fact that the state of tolerance could be adoptively transferred to naive recipients by CD3+ alpha beta- gamma delta + spleen cells from tolerant mice. These results suggest that systemic oral tolerance is induced and actively maintained by mechanisms involving gamma delta T cells.

The role of IL-4 in the staphylococcal enterotoxin B-triggered immune response: increased susceptibility to shock and deletion of CD8Vbeta8+ T cells in IL-4 knockout mice.

Administration of superantigens in vivo triggers responding T cells into clonal expansion and subsequent activation of the programmed cell death pathway, as well as into anergy. We examined the possibility that Th1 cytokines are involved in rescue from superantigen-induced programmed cell death and prevention of anergy by studying the Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin B (SEB) immune response in mice in which the IL-4 gene was deleted (IL-4-/-). In these mice, Th1 cell activation triggers increased IFN-gamma and reduced IL-5 production as compared to IL-4+/+ mice. The primary anti-SEB antibody response in IL-4-/- mice is thus dominated by immunoglobulins of the IgG2a isotype, whereas the IgG1 isotype prevails in IL-4+/+ mice. Our results also show that, in contrast to expectations, IL4-/- mice are more susceptible to SEB plus low-dose D-galactosamine-induced shock and that this response is TNF-alpha-dependent. In vivo treatment induces partial deletion and anergy of remaining SEB-reactive T cells. During the SEB-induced response, CD4Vbeta8+ T cells are deleted in IL-4-/- mice, but not in IL-4+/+ mice, suggesting a function for IL-4 in CD8+ T cell rescue from apoptosis. We show that IL-4 efficiently protects CD8+ T cells from in vitro starvation-induced apoptosis, and conclude that IL-4 has an important role in Th1 immune response regulation.

T cell-dependent antibody response to staphylococcal enterotoxin B.

Treatment of mice with staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) induces specific T-cell tolerance to this superantigen, characterized by partial deletion of V beta 8+ T cells in vivo and T cell anergy in vitro. In this study we examined the humoral response to SEB in BALB/c mice. Immunization of mice with SEB results in a detectable anti-SEB antibody response. Upon further treatment of mice with SEB, specific antibody levels increase significantly and the response is accelerated--characteristics of a secondary humoral response. The secondary antibody response is T cell dependent, can be transferred to T cell deficient mice with splenocytes and is composed mainly of IgM, IgG1 and IgG2b isotypes, suggesting that Th2 cells provide B cell help in this response. These data demonstrate that at the same time as inducing in vitro unresponsiveness, SEB primes SEB-specific T helper cells to provide help for B cells in a secondary antibody response.

Absence of peripheral clonal deletion and anergy in immune responses of T cell-reconstituted athymic mice.

Superantigens induce clonal deletion of reactive T cells in the thymus and clonal deletion and anergy in the periphery of euthymic mice. In this report we have assessed the ability of Staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) to induce peripheral tolerance in nude mice reconstituted with normal, syngeneic T cells. Immunization of reconstituted nude mice with SEB resulted in lethal toxic shock in a large fraction of the animals. Such lethality was never observed in the normal donor mouse strain. Analysis of lymphokine production in response to SEB showed that reconstituted nude mice produced higher levels of interleukin-2 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha, but lower levels of interleukin-4, than euthymic control mice. Furthermore, SEB was unable to promote either clonal elimination or induction of anergy in the SEB-responsive peripheral T cells, despite the fact that reconstituted nude mice did produce high levels of corticosterone upon treatment with SEB. These results imply a lack of control over immune responses to superantigen in T cell-reconstituted athymic mice.

In vivo activation of T-cell induction into the primed phenotype and programmed cell death by staphylococcal enterotoxin B.

The authors demonstrate that SEB immunization activates V beta 8+ T cells and induces the acquisition of the primed phenotype as defined previously by low MEL-14 and high Pgp-1 expression. SEB-activated spleen CD4+ and CD8V beta 8+ T cells have different population dynamics and regulate the expression of MEL-14 and Pgp-1 differentially, suggesting that the SEB-MHC class II complex preferentially activates CD4V beta 8+ T cells. Interestingly, at day 3 after SEB immunization, V beta 8+ T cells expressing low, but not high, levels of MEL-14 undergo apoptosis, indicating that T-cell activation is a prerequisite for triggering programmed cell death. These results might help to trace antigen-reactive cells to the activated or primed pool, as well as to identify those cells which will undergo programmed cell death.

Anti-IL-10 treatment does not block either the induction or the maintenance of orally induced tolerance to OVA.

Herein, the role of IL-10 in the induction and maintenance of oral tolerance was evaluated. The results show that: (1) mice treated with MoAb anti-IL-10 are permissive to the induction of oral tolerance to OVA; (2) anti-IL-10 treatment did not reverse the in vitro blocking of T cell proliferative response found in orally-tolerized mice; and (3) orally-induced tolerance could not be broken by anti-IL-10 treatment. Taken together, these results suggest that IL-10 is not a fundamental cytokine for the establishment and maintenance of oral tolerance.

Age-dependent changes in the response to staphylococcal enterotoxin B.

In the present study we investigated the response of old mice to staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) immunization. Old mice were susceptible to lethal toxic shock, probably mediated by tumor necrosis factor-alpha, although lethal toxic shock was not observed in young mice. Old mice were able to produce more IL-2 and IL-4 than young mice in response to in vivo immunization with SEB. V beta 8+CD4+ T cells of old mice expanded less in vivo and were not deleted in response to SEB. However, in spite of the absence of clonal deletion, SEB was found to induce energy of SEB reactive cells in old mice, as demonstrated by reduced in vitro T cell proliferation to SEB and reduced in vitro IL-2 and IL-4 production.

The development of humoral immunological memory to a T-cell-dependent antigen requires thymic emigrant cells.

Immunological memory is embodied in the rapid and enhanced immune responsiveness to previously encountered antigens. Classically, memory would depend on the presence of small resting long-lived specific lymphocytes which, through clonal expansion after priming with antigen, would be present at higher frequencies than in naive animals. Here we report that T-cell-reconstituted athymic mice, which lack recent thymic emigrants, mount a primary response to a T-cell-dependent antigen, but do not develop memory or the capacity to produce specific anti-TNP IgG1 antibodies during the secondary immune response. On the other hand, if thymocytes are continuously provided during the secondary response, a typical secondary immune response is achieved with high levels of specific IgG1. These results lead us to propose that the development of humoral immunological memory cannot be explained solely by the long life span of primed T lymphocytes, but is rather a dynamic state dependent on the continuous presence of recent thymic emigrants and qualitative functional differences in responder T cells.

Anti-Vbeta8 antibodies induce and maintain staphylococcal enterotoxin B-triggered Vbeta8+ T cell anergy.

The mechanism involved in the maintenance of staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB)-induced T cell anergy is poorly understood. We demonstrated earlier that B cells play an important role in the maintenance of SEB-induced T cell anergy in vivo and in vitro. Here, we demonstrate that B cells are not essential in SEB-induced T cell activation, but are important for the maintenance of T cell memory phenotype and anergy in vivo. Studying the activated B cell repertoire, we observe that SEB treatment increases serum anti-Vbeta8 antibody titer as detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using soluble Vbeta8 chains as antigens, and by staining of a Vbeta8-expressing thymoma. These antibodies disappear gradually after immunization with SEB, whereas the capacity of the T cells to respond to SEB in vitro is restored. Anti-Vbeta8 monoclonal antibody treatment causes Vbeta8+ T cell unresponsiveness to SEB in vitro (anergy), without affecting CD4Vbeta8+ T cell frequency. Together, these results suggest a new mechanism to explain the maintenance of SEB-induced T cell anergy, which is dependent on B cells and on anti-Vbeta8 antibody that specifically interacts with Vbeta8+ T cells.

Mouse B-1 cell-derived mononuclear phagocyte, a novel cellular component of acute non-specific inflammatory exudate.

At least three B cell subsets, B-1a, B-1b and B-2, or conventional B cells are present in the mouse periphery. Here we demonstrate that B-1 cells spontaneously proliferate in stationary cultures of normal adherent mouse peritoneal cells. B-1 cells were characterized by morphology, immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry. IgM was detected in the supernatants of these cultures. We demonstrated that the major cell population analyzed expresses the B-1b phenotype. When these cells were transferred to a new culture, a large proportion of them adhere to the plastic surface, and spread as bipolar cells endowed with the capacity to phagocytose via Fc and mannose receptors. Flow cytometry analysis of these adherent cells demonstrated that the great majority of them share both B-220 and Mac-1 antigens. Nevertheless, 45% of them were exclusively Mac-1(+). Finally, when they were labeled in vitro with [(3)H]thymidine and transferred to the peritoneal cavity of naive mice, they migrate to a non-specific inflammatory focus induced by a foreign-body implant. These data demonstrate that B-1 cells, mainly B-1b cells, not only proliferate and differentiate into a mononuclear phagocyte in vitro, but also that they exit the peritoneal cavity and migrate to a non-specific inflammatory milieu.

Modelos animales de diálisis peritoneal: relevancia, dificultades y futuro / No disponible

Los estudios realizados en biopsias peritoneales de pacientes con fallo renal que son tratados mediante diálisis peritoneal (DP) han demostrado que esta terapia provoca daños en la membrana peritoneal, caracterizados por fibrosisy angiogénesis, y que culminan en la pérdida de la capacidad de ultrafiltración de la membrana peritoneal. Estos estudios son descriptivos y apenas han contribuido al conocimiento de los mecanismos implicados en el proceso patológico inducido por la exposición de la membrana peritoneal a los líquidos de diálisis. Así, es necesario el desarrollo de modelos experimentales en animales para suplirlas deficiencias presentadas por los estudios en pacientes. Aquí tratamos las ventajas y dificultades de la utilización de modelos experimentales de diálisis peritoneal y las expectativas para el futuro (AU)

The studies performed with human peritoneal biopsies of peritonealdialysis-patients have demonstrated that exposure to peritonealdialysis fluid induce peritoneal deterioration. The main alterations of peritoneal membrane are fibrosis and angiogenesis that ends with the failure of the ultrafiltration capacity of the peritonealmembrane. These studies are descriptivist and scarcely help to investigate the mechanisms and stages involved on the process. Therefore, it is necessary to supply the deficiencies presented by the studies with patients. The experimental models have strongly contributed to the knowledge of the pathologic process that is induced by the continuous exposition of the peritonealmembrane to the dialysis fluids. Most of the peritonealdialysis studies use the rat as the experimental animal. Due to the difficulty of working with small animals, few studies have been done in mice. However, models in mice offers great advantages,as long as they allow us to employ different strains and genetically modified animals. We have recently developed an experimenta lmodel in mouse of exposure of the peritoneal membrane to dialysis fluids, which resembles the process of peritonealdamage that take place during peritoneal dialysis treatment inhuman patients (AU)