Overexpression of Plg-RKT protects against adipose dysfunction and dysregulation of glucose homeostasis in diet-induced obese mice

ABSTRACTThe plasminogen receptor, Plg-RKT, is a unique cell surface receptor that is broadly expressed in cells and tissues throughout the body. Plg-RKT localizes plasminogen on cell surfaces and promotes its activation to the broad-spectrum serine protease, plasmin. In this study, we show that overexpression of Plg-RKT protects mice from high fat diet (HFD)-induced adipose and metabolic dysfunction. During the first 10 weeks on the HFD, the body weights of mice that overexpressed Plg-RKT (Plg-RKT-OEX) were lower than those of control mice (CagRosaPlgRKT). After 10 weeks on the HFD, CagRosaPlgRKT and Plg-RKT-OEX mice had similar body weights. However, Plg-RKT-OEX mice showed a more metabolically favourable body composition phenotype. Plg-RKT-OEX mice also showed improved glucose tolerance and increased insulin sensitivity. We found that the improved metabolic functions of Plg-RKT-OEX mice were mechanistically associated with increased energy expenditure and activity, decreased proinflammatory adipose macrophages and decreased inflammation, elevated brown fat thermogenesis, and higher expression of adipose PPARγ and adiponectin. These findings suggest that Plg-RKT signalling promotes healthy adipose function via multiple mechanisms to defend against obesity-associated adverse metabolic phenotypes

Complement component C5a Promotes Expression of IL-22 and IL-17 from Human T cells and its Implication in Age-related Macular Degeneration

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Age related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of irreversible blindness in elderly populations worldwide. Inflammation, among many factors, has been suggested to play an important role in AMD pathogenesis. Recent studies have demonstrated a strong genetic association between AMD and complement factor H (CFH), the down-regulatory factor of complement activation. Elevated levels of complement activating molecules including complement component 5a (C5a) have been found in the serum of AMD patients. Our aim is to study whether C5a can impact human T cells and its implication in AMD.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated from the blood of exudative form of AMD patients using a Ficoll gradient centrifugation protocol. Intracellular staining and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were used to measure protein expression. Apoptotic cells were detected by staining of cells with the annexin-V and TUNEL technology and analyzed by a FACS Caliber flow cytometer. SNP genotyping was analyzed by TaqMan genotyping assay using the Real-time PCR system 7500.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We show that C5a promotes interleukin (IL)-22 and IL-17 expression by human CD4⁺T cells. This effect is dependent on B7, IL-1β and IL-6 expression from monocytes. We have also found that C5a could protect human CD4⁺cells from undergoing apoptosis. Importantly, consistent with a role of C5a in promoting IL-22 and IL-17 expression, significant elevation in IL-22 and IL-17 levels was found in AMD patients as compared to non-AMD controls.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our results support the notion that C5a may be one of the factors contributing to the elevated serum IL-22 and IL-17 levels in AMD patients. The possible involvement of IL-22 and IL-17 in the inflammation that contributes to AMD may herald a new approach to treat AMD.</p

PAR1 signaling regulates the retention and recruitment of EPCR-expressing bone marrow hematopoietic stem cells

Retention of long-term repopulating hematopoietic stem cells (LT-HSCs) in the bone marrow is essential for hematopoiesis and for protection from myelotoxic injury. We report that signaling cascades that are traditionally viewed as coagulation related also control retention of endothelial protein C receptor-positive (EPCR+) LT-HSCs in the bone marrow and their recruitment to the blood via two pathways mediated by protease activated receptor 1 (PAR1). Thrombin-PAR1 signaling induces nitric oxide (NO) production, leading to EPCR shedding mediated by tumor necrosis factor-[alpha]-converting enzyme (TACE), enhanced CXCL12-CXCR4-induced motility and rapid stem and progenitor cell mobilization. Conversely, bone marrow blood vessels provide a microenvironment enriched with activated protein C (aPC) that retains EPCR+ LT-HSCs by limiting NO generation, reducing Cdc42 activity and enhancing integrin VLA4 affinity and adhesion. Inhibition of NO production by aPC-EPCR-PAR1 signaling reduces progenitor cell egress from the bone marrow, increases retention of bone marrow NOlow EPCR+ LT-HSCs and protects mice from chemotherapy-induced hematological failure and death. Our study reveals new roles for PAR1 and EPCR in controlling NO production to balance maintenance and recruitment of bone marrow EPCR+ LT-HSCs, with potential clinical relevance for stem cell transplantation

Hypomethylation of the IL17RC Promoter Associates with Age-Related Macular Degeneration

SummaryAge-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of irreversible blindness in the elderly population worldwide. Although recent studies have demonstrated strong genetic associations between AMD and SNPs in a number of genes, other modes of regulation are also likely to play a role in the etiology of this disease. We identified a significantly decreased level of methylation on the IL17RC promoter in AMD patients. Furthermore, we showed that hypomethylation of the IL17RC promoter in AMD patients led to an elevated expression of its protein and messenger RNA in peripheral blood as well as in the affected retina and choroid, suggesting that the DNA methylation pattern and expression of IL17RC may potentially serve as a biomarker for the diagnosis of AMD and likely plays a role in disease pathogenesis

Human CD14hi monocytes and myeloid dendritic cells provide a cell contact–dependent costimulatory signal for early CD40 ligand expression

CD40L on CD4+ T cells plays a vital role in the activation of antigen-presenting cells, thus catalyzing a positive feedback loop for T-cell activation. Despite the pivotal juxtaposition of CD40L between antigen-presenting cells and T-cell activation, only a T-cell receptor stimulus is thought to be required for early CD40L surface expression. We show, for the first time, that CD40L expression on peripheral blood CD4+ T cells is highly dependent on a cell-cell interaction with CD14hiCD16− monocytes. Interactions with ICAM-1, LFA-3, and to a lesser extent CD80/CD86 contribute to this enhancement of CD40L expression but are not themselves sufficient. The contact-mediated increase in CD40L expression is dependent on new mRNA and protein synthesis. Circulating myeloid dendritic cells also possess this costimulatory activity. By contrast, CD14loCD16+ monocytes, plasmacytoid dendritic cells, B-cell lymphoma lines, and resting, activated, and Epstein-Barr virus–immortalized primary B cells all lack the capacity to up-regulate early CD40L. The latter indicates that a human B cell cannot activate its cognate T cell to deliver CD40L-mediated help. This finding has functional implications for the role of biphasic CD40L expression, suggesting that the early phase is associated with antigen-presenting cell activation, whereas the late phase is related to B-cell activation