Classical immunoglobulin transgenic (Ig-Tg) mouse models such as the MD4 anti-hen egg lysozyme (-HEL) Ig-Tg line have been used extensively to study B cell responses in tolerance and immunity. This thesis describes a new generation of gene-targeted mice (designated SWHEL mice) whereby the VH10 Ig variable gene encoding the HyHEL-10 specificity of the original anti-HEL Ig-Tg mouse was targeted to the Ig heavy chain locus. B cells in the SWHEL mouse are therefore capable of undergoing class switch recombination (CSR) and somatic hypermutation (SHM), representing a major advance on the original MD4 mouse model. SWHEL mice were found to not only contain a large population of HEL-specific (HEL+) B cells but also a significant population of non-HEL-binding (HEL-) B cells generated by VH gene replacement. HEL+ SWHEL B cells were found to belong to the B2 lineage and displayed high levels of surface IgM. Nevertheless, they matured normally and colonised the primary B cell follicle and marginal zone (MZ) of the spleen. The SWHEL model thus provided an opportunity to re-examine some of the original observations made in the MD4 system and also to extend these observations, particularly with regard to the regulation of CSR by self-reactive B cells. As expected, analysis of SWHEL B cells exposed to high avidity membrane-bound HEL revealed that they underwent clonal deletion in the bone marrow (BM). More interestingly, analysis of HEL+ B cells exposed to low avidity soluble HEL revealed that they were able to emigrate from the BM to the spleen as anergic B cells. However, unlike anergic MD4 B cells, anergic SWHEL B cells were reduced in frequency, displayed an immature B cell phenotype, were excluded from the follicle and had a reduced lifespan. Direct measurement of B cell antigen receptor (BCR) occupancy by HEL and the frequency of HEL- competitor B cells was combined with mixed BM irradiation chimeras to demonstrate unequivocally that the difference in phenotype and fate of HEL+ B cells in the two systems was due solely to competition from HEL- B cells. In addition, the SWHEL model of B cell self-tolerance was used to show that while self-reactive B cells were hypo-responsive to BCR stimulation, BCR-independent signals delivered via anti-CD40 plus IL-4 or lipopolysaccharide could trigger them to undergo CSR and secretion of potentially pathogenic isotype-switched autoantibodies. Finally, the SWHEL model was used to study the responses of adoptively transferred follicular (Fo) and MZ B cells to in vivo activation with HEL conjugated to sheep red blood cells (HEL-SRBC). These studies revealed that both HEL+ MZ and Fo B cells were capable of mounting a robust T cell-dependent IgG1 antibody response to HEL-SRBC. However, HEL+ MZ B cells did not efficiently localise to the T cell-B cell border following antigen engagement and preferentially migrated to the bridging channels and red pulp. In contrast, HEL+ Fo B cells rapidly localised to the T cell-B cell border and subsequently colonised numerous germinal centres. As a result, the rate and pattern of SHM by HEL+ Fo and MZ B cells was shown to be distinct, with preferential targeting of mutations to the second complementarity-determining region in the former and to the second framework region in the latter. Together these data indicate illustrate the value of the SWHEL model and its potential to greatly advance the current understanding of B cell responses in tolerance and immunity.

Classical immunoglobulin transgenic (Ig-Tg) mouse models such as the MD4 anti-hen egg lysozyme (-HEL) Ig-Tg line have been used extensively to study B cell responses in tolerance and immunity. This thesis describes a new generation of gene-targeted mice (designated SWHEL mice) whereby the VH10 Ig variable gene encoding the HyHEL-10 specificity of the original anti-HEL Ig-Tg mouse was targeted to the Ig heavy chain locus. B cells in the SWHEL mouse are therefore capable of undergoing class switch recombination (CSR) and somatic hypermutation (SHM), representing a major advance on the original MD4 mouse model. SWHEL mice were found to not only contain a large population of HEL-specific (HEL+) B cells but also a significant population of non-HEL-binding (HEL-) B cells generated by VH gene replacement. HEL+ SWHEL B cells were found to belong to the B2 lineage and displayed high levels of surface IgM. Nevertheless, they matured normally and colonised the primary B cell follicle and marginal zone (MZ) of the spleen. The SWHEL model thus provided an opportunity to re-examine some of the original observations made in the MD4 system and also to extend these observations, particularly with regard to the regulation of CSR by self-reactive B cells. As expected, analysis of SWHEL B cells exposed to high avidity membrane-bound HEL revealed that they underwent clonal deletion in the bone marrow (BM). More interestingly, analysis of HEL+ B cells exposed to low avidity soluble HEL revealed that they were able to emigrate from the BM to the spleen as anergic B cells. However, unlike anergic MD4 B cells, anergic SWHEL B cells were reduced in frequency, displayed an immature B cell phenotype, were excluded from the follicle and had a reduced lifespan. Direct measurement of B cell antigen receptor (BCR) occupancy by HEL and the frequency of HEL- competitor B cells was combined with mixed BM irradiation chimeras to demonstrate unequivocally that the difference in phenotype and fate of HEL+ B cells in the two systems was due solely to competition from HEL- B cells. In addition, the SWHEL model of B cell self-tolerance was used to show that while self-reactive B cells were hypo-responsive to BCR stimulation, BCR-independent signals delivered via anti-CD40 plus IL-4 or lipopolysaccharide could trigger them to undergo CSR and secretion of potentially pathogenic isotype-switched autoantibodies. Finally, the SWHEL model was used to study the responses of adoptively transferred follicular (Fo) and MZ B cells to in vivo activation with HEL conjugated to sheep red blood cells (HEL-SRBC). These studies revealed that both HEL+ MZ and Fo B cells were capable of mounting a robust T cell-dependent IgG1 antibody response to HEL-SRBC. However, HEL+ MZ B cells did not efficiently localise to the T cell-B cell border following antigen engagement and preferentially migrated to the bridging channels and red pulp. In contrast, HEL+ Fo B cells rapidly localised to the T cell-B cell border and subsequently colonised numerous germinal centres. As a result, the rate and pattern of SHM by HEL+ Fo and MZ B cells was shown to be distinct, with preferential targeting of mutations to the second complementarity-determining region in the former and to the second framework region in the latter. Together these data indicate illustrate the value of the SWHEL model and its potential to greatly advance the current understanding of B cell responses in tolerance and immunity.

A side effect of generating an immune system for defense against invading pathogens is the potential to develop destructive cells that recognize self-tissues. Typically, through the "education" of developing immune cells, the organism inactivates potentially self-destructive cells, resulting in what is called self-tolerance. I proposed to explore the molecular mechanisms responsible for the induction and maintenance of tolerance. Our lab has developed a model of induced immune tolerance to skin and islet allografts utilizing a donor-specific transfusion of spleen cells and a brief course of anti-CD40L antibody. Because the difficulty in isolation of tolerant T cells from this system is prohibitive to performing large screens on these cells directly, I have chosen to study an in vitro CD4+Th1 cell line, A.E7, which can be made anergic via stimulation through the T cell receptor in the absence of costimulation. I hypothesized that anergized T cells upregulate genes that are responsible for the induction and maintenance of anergy and therefore exhibit a unique RNA expression profile. I have screened anergic cells using Affymetrix GeneChips and identified a small number of genes that are differentially expressed long-term in the anergic population compared to mock-stimulated and productively activated controls. The results have been confirmed by quantitative RT-PCR for each of the candidates. One of the most promising, the zinc-finger transcription factor Egr-2, was verified to be expressed long-term by western blotting, demonstrating perfect correlation between Egr-2 protein expression and the anergic phenotype. Silencing Egr-2 gene expression by siRNA in A.E7 T cells prior to anergy induction rescues the cells from the inability to phosphorylate ERK-1 and ERK-2 and also results in increased proliferation in response to antigen rechallenge. In this study I report that Egr-2 is specifically expressed long-term in anergic cells, protein expression correlates inversely with responsiveness to antigen rechallenge, and that Egr-2 is required for the full induction of anergy in T cell clones.

Os nitrocomplexos de rutênio são estudados como agentes doadores de óxido nítrico (NO). Estes são atraentes como potenciais agentes terapêuticos porque apresentam baixa citotoxicidade, que pode ser decorrente da semelhança entre rutênio e ferro. Vários compostos de rutênio foram sintetizados em nosso laboratório, mas o complexo cis-[Ru(bpy)2(py)NO2] (PF6), (RuBPY) parece ser o mais promissor. Muitos doadores de NO tem como principal limitação clínica o desenvolvimento de tolerância, caracterizada pela perda rápida de seus efeitos anti-isquêmicos e hemodinâmicos. Os mecanismos e causas que levam à tolerância ainda são pouco conhecidos. Porém, acredita-se que a tolerância seja um processo multifatorial que envolva aumento da produção de espécies reativas de oxigênio (ERO), diminuição da atividade da enzima guanilil ciclase solúvel (GCs) e aumento da expressão e atividade das enzimas fosfodiesterases. O presente trabalho teve por objetivos avaliar se os compostos RuBPY e NaNO2, em diferentes concentrações e tempos de incubação, desencadeiam auto tolerância e tolerância cruzada à nitroglicerina (NTG). Além disso, avaliar se os receptores TRPV1 participam do relaxamento induzido pelo RuBPY, se o RuBPY libera NO ou nitrito e se é capaz de inibir a agregação plaquetária. O RuBPY e o NaNO2 são capazes de promover relaxamento total, de maneira dependente de concentração, em aortas com e sem endotélio, contraídas com fenilefrina. Estes resultados demonstram que o efeito vasodilatador destes compostos é independente do endotélio. Porém, o RuBPY é mais potente que o NaNO2. O RuBPY é capaz de induzir auto tolerância em aortas sem endotélio pré-expostas por 5 ou 10 min ao RuBPY e em aortas com endotélio, pré-expostas por 45 min ao RuBPY. A pré-exposição por 30 min ou 45 min ao RuBPY potencializa o seu efeito vasodilatador em aortas sem endotélio e com endotélio, respectivamente. A potencialização da resposta relaxante independe da ativação da GCs, mas pode estar relacionada ao aumento da liberação de NO em células do músculo liso vascular e aumento na fosforilação do resíduo de Thr495 da eNOS. O NaNO2 também induz o processo de auto tolerância em aortas sem endotélio, pela pré-exposição ao NaNO2 por 5 min ou 30 min. Não há indução de tolerância cruzada entre nitroglicerina e RuBPY. Neste trabalho demonstramos também que o novo complexo de rutênio RuBPY é um gerador de NO, e não de nitrito, capaz de inibir a agregação plaquetária. Os receptores TRPV1 não participam do relaxamento desencadeado pelo RuBPY. Um achado importante deste trabalho foi o efeito potencializador da vasodilatação induzida pelo RuBPY promovida pela sua pré-exposição. Este efeito poderia ser benéfico, considerando um potencial uso terapêutico deste composto gerador de NO / The ruthenium nitro-complexes are studied as nitric oxide (NO) donors. These complexes are attractive as potential therapeutic agents because they have low cytotoxicity, which can be due to the similarity between ruthenium and iron. Several ruthenium compounds were synthesized in our laboratory, but the complex cis-[Ru(bpy)2(py)NO2](PF6) (RuBPY) is the most promising. The main clinical limitation of NO donors is the development of tolerance that is characterized by the loss of its vasodilator and hemodynamic effects. The mechanisms and causes that lead to tolerance are still poorly understood. However, it is believed that tolerance is a multifactorial process that involves increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), decrease activity of thr enzyme soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC) and increased expression and activity of phosphodiesterases enzyme. This study aimed to evaluate if the compounds RuBPY and nitrite (NaNO2) cause tolerance in different concentrations and exposure times and and cross-tolerance to nitroglycerin (NTG). In addition, to evaluate the involvement of the TRPV1 receptors in the relaxation induced by RuBPY, if RuBPY releases NO or nitrite and if RuBPY inhibits platelet aggregation. Both RuBPY and NaNO2 are able to induce complete relaxation in a concentration-dependent manner in intact endothelium or denuded contracted with phenylephrine. These results demonstrate that the vasodilation induced by these compounds is endothelium-independent. However, the RuBPY is more potent than NaNO2. The RuBPY is able to induce self-tolerance in the denuded aorta that was pre-exposed for 5 min or 10 min to RuBPY and in aorta with intact endothelium pre-exposed for 45 min to RuBPY. Pre-exposure for 30 min or 45 min to RuBPY potentiates its vasodilator effect in aorta without and with endothelium, respectively. The potentiated relaxation is independent of the GCs activation, but it is due to increased NO release in vascular smooth muscle cells and increased eNOS phosphorylation at the inhibitory residue Thr495. The NaNO2 also induces self-tolerance in denuded aortas by the pre-exposure to NaNO2 for 5 min or 30 min. It was not observed cross-tolerance between nitroglycerin and RuBPY. In this work, we have also shown that the new ruthenium complex RuBPY is a NO generator that inhibits platelet aggregation. The TRPV1 receptors do not participate in the relaxation induced by RuBPY. An important finding of this study was the potentiating effect of vasodilation induced by RuBPY promoted by its pre-exposure. This effect could be beneficial considering the potential therapeutic use of this compound NO generator.

No description available.

Adaptive immunity requires T cell responses to foreign pathogens to be counterbalanced with the need to limit collateral destruction of the host’s own tissues. Further, the presence of a substantial pool of lymphocytes capable of recognizing selfantigen in the periphery poses a threat to the maintenance of peripheral tolerance and prevention of autoimmunity. Regulatory T cells (Treg) that can suppress potentially self-reactive T cells are critical regulators of peripheral tolerance as well as initiation of immune responses. Treg cells employ several context-dependent mechanisms to establish regulation. In this thesis, we describe two distinct pathways of regulation used by Treg cells involving negative costimulation by CTLA-4 and immunomodulation by the morphogen, TGFβ. CTLA-4 is a co-inhibitory receptor on T cells essential for maintaining T cell homeostasis and tolerance to self. CTLA-4 expression is induced in conventional T cells following activation, whereas it is constitutively expressed in regulatory FOXP3+CD4+ regulatory T cells. Mice lacking CTLA-4 develop an early onset, fatal breakdown in T cell tolerance. Whether this autoimmune disease occurs because of the loss of CTLA-4 function in regulatory T cells, conventional T cells, or both, is not known. We present evidence here that in addition to a critical CTLA-4 function in regulatory T cells, CTLA-4 in conventional T cells is also necessary for controlling the consequences of abnormal T cell activation. CTLA-4 expression in activated conventional T cells only in vivois unable to compensate for the impaired function of CTLA-4-less regulatory T cells that results in systemic lymphoproliferation, but it can prevent the aberrantly activated T cells from infiltrating and fatally damaging non-lymphoid tissues. These results demonstrate that CTLA-4 has a dual function in maintaining T cell homeostasis: CTLA-4 in regulatory T cells inhibits inappropriate naïve T cell activation and CTLA-4 in conventional T cells can prevent the harmful accumulation of inappropriately activated pathogenic T cells in vital organs. In addition, we have identified Disabled-2 (Dab2), a TGFβ signaling intermediate, as a FOXP3 target gene that is expressed exclusively in Treg cells and is critical for in vitro and in vivo regulation by Treg cells. During T cell development, DAB2 is also expressed in a Foxp3-independent manner in thymic precursor cells, and acts as a sensor of TGFβ signals that is required for programming normal TGFβ responsiveness in T cell progenies. Naïve CD4+ T cells that differentiate from Dab2-deficient precursors favor Th17 cell generation at the expense of FOXP3+ Treg cells as a result of altered sensitivity to TGFβ. Importantly, retinoic acid can restore TGFβ signaling capacity of naïve CD4+ T cells generated from Dab2-deficient precursors, emphasizing the cooperative nature of retinoic acid and TGFβ signaling pathways in promoting Treg cell development and maintenance.

No description available.

Introduction:Uveitis in an ocular inflammation affecting mostly people of working age. Uveitis is responsible for severe visual impairment despite of expanding new therapeutics. The animal models of uveitis were established, because the wide clinical variability of uveitis limits the studies in human medicine. The goal our project was to establish a reproducible model of experimental autoimmune uveitis in Czech Republic, and further on this model to observe the frequency of CD3+ and F4/80+ cells in retina, to assess the influence of microbial environment on intensity of intraocular inflammation and to test the therapeutical possibilities. Material and methods: The C57BL/6J mice were immunized by retinal antigen (IRBP 1-20, interphotoreceptor retinoid binding protein), enhanced by complete Freund's adjuvant and pertussis toxin and mild posterior autoimmune uveitis was induced. The mice were bred in conventional and germ-free (gnotobiotic) conditions. The uveitis intensity was evaluated in vivo biomicroscopically and post mortem histologically on hematoxylin eosin stained sections according to the standard protocol. The histological eye specimen were analyzed also by imunohistochemisty and by flow cytometry. Each experiment was performed for 35 days. The conventional mice with uveitis were treated...

Introduction:Uveitis in an ocular inflammation affecting mostly people of working age. Uveitis is responsible for severe visual impairment despite of expanding new therapeutics. The animal models of uveitis were established, because the wide clinical variability of uveitis limits the studies in human medicine. The goal our project was to establish a reproducible model of experimental autoimmune uveitis in Czech Republic, and further on this model to observe the frequency of CD3+ and F4/80+ cells in retina, to assess the influence of microbial environment on intensity of intraocular inflammation and to test the therapeutical possibilities. Material and methods: The C57BL/6J mice were immunized by retinal antigen (IRBP 1-20, interphotoreceptor retinoid binding protein), enhanced by complete Freund's adjuvant and pertussis toxin and mild posterior autoimmune uveitis was induced. The mice were bred in conventional and germ-free (gnotobiotic) conditions. The uveitis intensity was evaluated in vivo biomicroscopically and post mortem histologically on hematoxylin eosin stained sections according to the standard protocol. The histological eye specimen were analyzed also by imunohistochemisty and by flow cytometry. Each experiment was performed for 35 days. The conventional mice with uveitis were treated...

Immunologic self-tolerance is maintained by both central and peripheral mechanisms. Furthermore, regulation of mature lymphocyte responses is governed by inhibitory as well as stimulatory signals. TCR recognition of cognate peptide bound to MHC molecules provides the initial stimulus leading to T lymphocyte activation and determines the antigen specificity of any subsequent response. However, lymphocytes must discriminate between foreign and self antigens presented by self-MHC molecules to maintain self tolerance and avoid pathological autoimmunity. Consequently, TCR ligation alone is reported to result in abortive activation, T cell anergy, apoptosis, and tolerance. Under normal physiological conditions, costimulatory signals modify lymphocyte responsiveness to TCR ligation to prevent autoimmunity while enabling robust responses to foreign antigen. Members of the CD28/B7 superfamily provide the critical secondary signals essential for normal immune cell function. CD28 is an essential positive costimulatory molecule with critical functions in thymic development, lineage commitment, and regulation of peripheral lymphocyte responses to antigenic stimuli. CD28 ligation by APC-expressed B7 molecules alters proximal signaling events subsequent to MHC/TCR interactions, and initiates unique signaling pathways that alter mRNA stability and gene transcription. Furthermore, CD28 signaling is required for regulatory T cell development and function. Thus, CD28 has a central role in both potentiating lymphocyte activation mediated by TCR engagement and regulating peripheral tolerance. In contrast, Ctla-4 mediates an inhibitory signal upon binding B7 molecules on an antigen-presenting cell. Its importance in governing lymphocyte responses is manifested in the fatal lymphoproliferative disorder seen in Ctla-4-/- mice. The lymphocyte proliferation is polyclonal, antigen and CD28 dependent, and arises from defects in peripheral CD4+T cell regulation. The high percentage of peripheral T lymphocytes expressing activation markers is accompanied by lymphocyte infiltration into numerous non-lymphoid tissues and results in death by 3-4 weeks. While still controversial, Ctla-4 signaling has been reported to be essential for induction of peripheral T lymphocyte tolerance in vivo and in some model systems is proposed to regulate both T lymphocyte anergy induction and the immune suppressive effects of some regulatory T cells in the prevention of autoimmunity. Signaling pathways activated by TCR ligation and CD28 costimulation have been extensively characterized. In contrast, the mechanisms mediating Ctla-4 maintenance of tolerance remain largely unknown. Ctla-4 gene expression is tightly controlled during T cell development and activation, and its intracellular localization and expression on the cell surface is regulated by numerous pathways and intermediates. While a tailless Ctla-4 mutant is capable of inhibiting T cell activation, recent studies have shown that a ligand independent form of Ctla-4 is also capable of providing an inhibitory signal to T lymphocytes. In conjunction with the strictly controlled expression kinetics and the perfect amino acid homology between the intracellular domains of mouse and human Ctla-4, this data suggests that Ctla-4 may participate in the modulation or initiation of intracellular signaling pathways. Positive and negative costimulatory receptors on the T cell modify lymphocyte responses by altering both quantitative and qualitative aspects of the lymphocyte response including threshold of activation, cytokine secretion, and memory responses. Positive costimulation augments T cell responses, in part, by downregulating the expression of genes that actively maintain the quiescent phenotype. This study was initiated to determine the role of Ctla-4 ligation in modifying the global gene expression profile of stimulated T cells and to determine if the Ctla-4 mediated maintenance of T cell tolerance was achieved, in part, by altering the transcription of quiescence genes necessary for the prevention of T cell activation subsequent to TCR and CD28 stimulation. Previous studies investigating the influence of Ctla-4 ligation on transcriptional profiles of activated lymphocytes detected only quantitative alterations in the transcriptional regulation initiated by CD28 signaling. In contrast, our data suggests that quantitative effects of Ctla-4 ligation that differentially influence pathways acting downstream of stimulatory receptors results in a stable and qualitatively unique phenotype detectable at the level of the transcriptome. Thus, the cumulative effect of Ctla-4 signaling is unique and not constrained to reversing alterations in expression initiated by CD28. In addition, Ctla-4 ligation can be shown to influence T lymphocyte responsiveness and the resulting global expression profile within 4 hours after stimulation and prior to detectable Ctla-4 surface expression. In a subpopulation of T cells, TCR stimulation activates pathways that result in commitment to activation with 2-6 hours. In contrast, CD28 signaling must be maintained for 12-16 hours to ensure maximal responses at the population level. The period of sensitivity to Ctla-4 inhibition of activation is more constrained and does not extend beyond 12 hours. Together, these data support a potential role for Ctla-4 in modification of the early transcriptional response and may explain various alterations in phenotype resulting from Ctla-4 ligation that have been reported in secondary responses. Identification of genes involved in lymphocyte activation, maintenance of selftolerance, and attenuation of immune responses opens the door to therapeutic manipulation of the pathways implicated. CD28 costimulation results in general amplification of TCR-initiated transcriptional responses, and specifically alters the expression profile of a subset of genes. In contrast, Ctla-4 ligation directly and specifically alters the expression of a select group of genes when ligated, and results in minimal suppression of the global CD28-mediated costimulatory transcriptional response. Ctla-4 regulated genes comprise a heterogeneous family, but include known quiescence factors, transcriptional regulators, and various determinants of cell cycle progression and senescence. The role of Ctla-4 in maintaining self-tolerance indicates that targeted manipulation of these gene products presents a novel therapeutic opportunity, and suggests that the mechanisms involved in Ctla-4-mediated maintenance of peripheral T cell tolerance and regulation of immune responsiveness is more nuanced than previously thought. In addition, this study provides the most comprehensive description of global gene expression during primary lymphocyte activation yet available. The integration of statistical and bioinfomatics analyses with large scale data mining tools identifies genes not previously characterized in lymphocytes and can direct future work by predicting potentially interacting gene products and pathways.