Differential Ly6C Expression after Renal Ischemia-Reperfusion Identifies Unique Macrophage Populations.

Macrophages are a heterogeneous cell type implicated in injury, repair, and fibrosis after AKI, but the macrophage population associated with each phase is unclear. In this study, we used a renal bilateral ischemia-reperfusion injury mouse model to identify unique monocyte/macrophage populations by differential expression of Ly6C in CD11b(+) cells and to define the function of these cells in the pathophysiology of disease on the basis of microarray gene signatures and reduction strategies. Macrophage populations were isolated from kidney homogenates by fluorescence-activated cell sorting for whole genome microarray analysis. The CD11b(+)/Ly6C(high) population associated with the onset of renal injury and increase in proinflammatory cytokines, whereas the CD11b(+)/Ly6C(intermediate) population peaked during kidney repair. The CD11b(+)/Ly6C(low) population emerged with developing renal fibrosis. Principal component and hierarchical cluster analyses identified gene signatures unique to each population. The CD11b(+)/Ly6C(intermediate) population had a distinct phenotype of wound healing, confirmed by results of studies inhibiting the macrophage colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor,whereas the CD11b(+)/Ly6C(low) population had a profibrotic phenotype. All populations, including the CD11b(+)/Ly6C(high) population, carried differential inflammatory signatures. The expression of M2-specific markers was detected in both the CD11b(+)/Ly6C(intermediate) and CD11b(+)/Ly6C(low) populations, suggesting these in vivo populations do not fit into the traditional classifications defined by in vitro systems. Results of this study in a renal ischemia-reperfusion injury model allow phenotype and function to be assigned to CD11b(+)/Ly6C(+) monocyte/macrophage populations in the pathophysiology of disease after AKI.

Impact of alemtuzumab treatment on the survival and function of human regulatory T cells in vitro.

Alemtuzumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody specific for the CD52 protein present at high levels on the surface of B and T lymphocytes. In clinical trials, alemtuzumab has shown a clinical benefit superior to that of interferon-ß in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients. Treatment with alemtuzumab leads to the depletion of circulating lymphocytes followed by a repopulation process characterized by alterations in the number, proportions and properties of lymphocyte subsets. Of particular interest, an increase in the percentage of T cells with a regulatory phenotype (Treg cells) has been observed in multiple sclerosis patients after alemtuzumab. Since Treg cells play an important role in the control of autoimmune responses, the effect of alemtuzumab on Treg cells was further studied in vitro. Alemtuzumab effectively mediated complement-dependent cytolysis of human T lymphocytes and the remaining population was enriched in T cells with a regulatory phenotype. The alemtuzumab-exposed T cells displayed functional regulatory characteristics including anergy to stimulation with allogeneic dendritic cells and ability to suppress the allogeneic response of autologous T cells. Consistent with the observed increase in Treg cell frequency, the CD25(hi) T-cell population was necessary for the suppressive activity of alemtuzumab-exposed T cells. The mechanism of this suppression was found to be dependent on both cell-cell contact and interleukin-2 consumption. These findings suggest that an alemtuzumab-mediated increase in the proportion of Treg cells may play a role in promoting the long-term efficacy of alemtuzumab in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells exhibit heterogeneous CD52 expression levels and show differential sensitivity to alemtuzumab mediated cytolysis.

Alemtuzumab is a monoclonal antibody that targets cell surface CD52 and is effective in depleting lymphocytes by cytolytic effects in vivo. Although the cytolytic effects of alemtuzumab are dependent on the density of CD52 antigen on cells, there is scant information regarding the expression levels of CD52 on different cell types. In this study, CD52 expression was assessed on phenotypically distinct subsets of lymphoid and myeloid cells in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from normal donors. Results demonstrate that subsets of PBMCs express differing levels of CD52. Quantitative analysis showed that memory B cells and myeloid dendritic cells (mDCs) display the highest number while natural killer (NK) cells, plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) and basophils have the lowest number of CD52 molecules per cell amongst lymphoid and myeloid cell populations respectively. Results of complement dependent cytolysis (CDC) studies indicated that alemtuzumab mediated profound cytolytic effects on B and T cells with minimal effect on NK cells, basophils and pDCs, correlating with the density of CD52 on these cells. Interestingly, despite high CD52 levels, mDCs and monocytes were less susceptible to alemtuzumab-mediated CDC indicating that antigen density alone does not define susceptibility. Additional studies indicated that higher expression levels of complement inhibitory proteins (CIPs) on these cells partially contributes to their resistance to alemtuzumab mediated CDC. These results indicate that alemtuzumab is most effective in depleting cells of the adaptive immune system while leaving innate immune cells relatively intact.

Endosialin expression in side populations in human sarcoma cell lines.

The Hoechst 33342 exclusion side population (SP) assay is a validated method used to identify cells with stem cell-like properties. When isolated from tumors, SP cells have been shown to have high malignant potential. SPs have been found in both carcinomas and sarcomas. The molecular profile of sarcoma SP is poorly understood. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether endosialin is a suitable therapeutic target for sarcomas. Six cell lines (HT-1080 fibrosarcoma, SJSA-1 and HOS osteosarcoma, A-673 and SK-ES-1 Ewing sarcoma) were used for the SP analysis. Flow cytometry was used to count and examine the cells. Results showed for the first time that endosialin (CD248), which was previously identified as a sarcoma marker, is expressed in sarcoma SP cells. This observation supports the hypothesis that endosialin is a promising therapeutic target for sarcomas.

Ligation of cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 to T cell receptor inhibits T cell activation and directs differentiation into Foxp3+ regulatory T cells.

Cross-linking of ligand-engaged cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) to the T cell receptor (TCR) during the early phase of T cell activation attenuates TCR signaling, leading to T cell inhibition. To promote this event, a bispecific fusion protein comprising a mutant mouse CD80 (CD80w88a) and lymphocyte activation antigen-3 was engineered to concurrently engage CTLA-4 and cross-link it to the TCR. Cross-linking is expected to be attained via ligation of CTLA-4 first to MHCII and then indirectly to the TCR, generating a CTLA-4-MHCII-TCR trimolecular complex that forms between T cells and antigen-presenting cells during T cell activation. Treating T cells with this bispecific fusion protein inhibited T cell activation. In addition, it induced the production of IL-10 and TGF-ß and attenuated AKT and mTOR signaling. Intriguingly, treatment with the bispecific fusion protein also directed early T cell differentiation into Foxp3-positive regulatory T cells (Tregs). This process was dependent on the endogenous production of TGF-ß. Thus, bispecific fusion proteins that engage CTLA-4 and co-ligate it to the TCR during the early phase of T cell activation can negatively regulate the T cell response. Bispecific biologics with such dual functions may therefore represent a novel class of therapeutics for immune modulation. These findings presented here also reveal a potential new role for CTLA-4 in Treg differentiation.

Endosialin: a novel malignant cell therapeutic target for neuroblastoma.

Endosialin emerged recently as a potential therapeutic target for sarcoma. Since some sarcoma subtypes, such as Ewing's sarcoma, show characteristics of neuroendocrine differentiation, we wondered whether cancers with neuro-endocrine properties and/or neuroectodermal origin, such as neuroblastoma, small cell lung cancer and melanoma, may express endosialin. Endosialin protein expression was surveyed in neuroblastoma, small cell lung cancer and melanoma in human clinical specimens by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and in human cell lines by flow cytometry. Side population cells were examined to determine whether cancer stem cells can express endosialin. Endosialin-expressing neuroblastoma cell lines were implanted in immunodeficient mice and allowed to grow. The xenograft tumors were resected and tested for endosialin expression by IHC. In human clinical specimens, vascular endosialin staining was observed in neuroblastoma, small cell lung cancer and melanoma. Malignant cell staining was strongest in neuroblastoma, weak in melanoma and rare in small cell lung cancer. In human cell lines, endosialin was detected in neuroblastoma cell lines, including cancer stem cell-like side population (SP) cells, but was absent in melanoma and was both rare and weak in small cell lung cancer. Human neuroblastoma xenograft tumors were found to be positive for endosialin. Our work suggests that endosialin may be a suitable therapeutic target for neuroblastoma.

Utilization of non-AUG initiation codons in a flow cytometric method for efficient selection of recombinant cell lines.

Here we describe a method that couples flow cytometric detection with the attenuated translation of a reporter protein to enable efficient selection of CHO clones producing high levels of recombinant proteins. In this system, a small cell surface reporter protein is expressed from an upstream open reading frame utilizing a non-AUG initiation (alternate start) codon. Due to the low translation initiation efficiency of this alternate start codon, the majority of translation initiation events occur at the first AUG of the downstream open reading frame encoding the recombinant protein of interest. While translation of the reporter is significantly reduced, the levels are sufficient for detection using flow cytometric methods and, in turn, predictive of protein expression from the gene of interest since both ORFs are translated from the same mRNA. Using this system, CHO cells have been sorted to obtain enriched pools producing significantly higher levels of recombinant proteins than the starting cell population and clones with significantly better productivity than those generated from limiting dilution cloning. This method also serves as an effective screening tool during clone expansion to enable resources to be focused solely on clones with both high and stable expression.

Accurate and precise transcriptional profiles from 50 pg of total RNA or 100 flow-sorted primary lymphocytes.

We have developed a total RNA amplification and labeling strategy for use with Affymetrix GeneChips. Our protocol, which we denote BIIB, employs two rounds of linear T7 amplification followed by Klenow labeling to generate a biotinylated cDNA. In benchmarking studies using a titration of mouse universal total RNA, BIIB outperformed commercially available kits in terms of sensitivity, accuracy, and amplified target length, while providing equivalent results for technical reproducibility. BIIB maintained 50 and 44% present calls from 100 and 50 pg of total RNA, respectively. Inter- and intrasample precision studies indicated that BIIB produces an unbiased and complete expression profile within a range of 5 ng to 50 pg of starting total RNA. From a panel of spiked exogenous transcripts, we established the BIIB linear detection limit to be 20 absolute copies. Additionally, we demonstrate that BIIB is sensitive enough to detect the stochastic events inherent in a highly diluted sample. Using RNA isolated from whole tissues, we further validated BIIB accuracy and precision by comparison of 224 expression ratios generated by quantitative real-time PCR. The utility of our method is ultimately illustrated by the detection of biologically expected trends in a T cell/B cell titration of 100 primary cells flow sorted from a healthy mouse spleen.